There are huge debates going on in the Trucking Industry due to an overblown media scare over truck drivers who drive all night and day and night without sleeping and therefore might cause an accident.
Fatigue and Drowsiness are indeed issues and now many of these concerns are changing.
The newer electronic log books, which are hooked into dispatchers and some government state agencies at the weigh scales would end the "Hours of Service Debates" of course because a driver cannot run with two sets of log books that way.
Then there is also the law of unintended consequences which comes into play.
For instance; Not enough rest stops for all the trucks on the road.
If there is no place to park, all the truck stops are full and no spaces at the rest stops, the driver really has no choice but to keep on going.
Some states are putting in more parking but it is a huge problem.
Another serious issue is with the rules of "No Engine Running" all-night in areas that are bitterly cold or outrageously hot.
The heaters or air-conditioning units need energy to run, so the driver feels the best way to handle this is to keep on going; if he stops he could freeze to death or have a heat stroke.
Limiting Hours of Service gives an advantage to the Unionized Trucking companies, as it curtails long-haul independents and their ability to make tracks and run long hours.
Of course the more the regulations squeeze the little guy the more the independent feels compelled to push the envelope on safety.