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Trucking Regulations Regulations Are There to Keep Drivers Safe

Federal regulations are put into place to keep roads safe. When truckers fail to abide by these regulations, serious accidents can occur as a result.

Federal Trucking Regulations

Truck Accident Lawyers Fighting to Keep You Safe

Truck drivers and trucking companies must abide by federal motor carrier regulations designed to ensure the safety of large trucks and the public. These cover everything from the number of hours a truck driver may stay behind the wheel to size.

Truck accidents often have multiple causes—including violations of federal trucking regulations and NAFTA regulations. When truck drivers or companies fail to follow safety regulations and accidents occur, they should be held responsible for their negligence and the damage and injuries they have caused. That is where our truck accident lawyers come in.

Have questions about how trucking regulations may impact your case? Request your free consultation!

Trucking Regulations: Keeping Our Roads Safe

Federal motor carrier safety regulations (FMCSRs) are intended to keep our roads free of the catastrophic crashes that can occur when cars and trucks collide. When truckers fail to follow these regulations, it can lead to serious tragedies.

Some of the key provisions include the following:

  • Hours-of-Service: Commercial truck drivers are limited in the daily and weekly number of hours they may drive a truck. These limits—called hours-of-service regulations—are designed to keep exhausted drivers off the highway. Many states have regulations similar to or identical to the federal regulations. In most cases, a truck driver may drive a maximum of 11 hours and work no more than 14 hours a day, including driving and non-driving duties. The driver is then required to have 10 continuous hours off before they can drive again.
  • Alcohol & Drugs: Truck drivers are held to stricter standards than other drivers. For example, if their BAC is 0.04 percent or higher, they are in violation of DUI laws. Truck drivers are also prohibited from operating a commercial vehicle within four hours of consuming alcohol and are subject to laws regarding use of prescription drugs. To protect from drunk truck drivers on the road, drivers are subject to random testing for alcohol and drug use by their employer, as well as after accidents in which they may have contributed to the crash or a fatal accident.
  • Weight Limits: Federal weight limits apply to large trucks driven on interstate highways. Generally, trucks on the interstates can have a maximum gross vehicle weight of 80,000 pounds; however, trucks pulling two or more trailers in some western states may exceed that. The weight limits are designed to protect the nation's investment in highways and bridges, but they also help prevent loss of cargo and keep trucks safer on the road.
  • Maintenance & Repair: Federal regulations provide minimum inspection standards for commercial motor carriers. However, too many trucking companies skimp on routine safety inspection programs and fail to train drivers to recognize signs of trouble before they cause an accident. An experienced truck accident attorney will investigate whether the trucking company has established standards for placing vehicles out of service and whether they have an adequate record keeping system to document the maintenance and repairs. The lack of well-documented inspections and maintenance can provide persuasive evidence of negligence contributing to a serious crash.

Arnold & Itkin represents victims of truck accidents nationwide and is committed to helping people seriously injured in large truck accidents. Contact us today if you would like to get counsel.