Rules for Truck Drivers

Following safety rules is critical to protecting the public. Truck drivers must demonstrate that they know the safety rules and can follow the rules to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License. Truck accidents follow violations of these rules that are due to fatigue, carelessness, weather conditions, and laziness. Truck accidents are often investigated by the police, trucking companies, risk management teams, and insurance companies. An admission of responsibility by a truck driver may lead to his termination from the company. After a truck accident the driver is often first questioned by a risk manager within the trucking company or by a claims adjuster from the truck’s insurance company. These interviewers have a strong financial interest in shaping the account of the accident to deny claims of those that are injured. The person asking the questions wants to avoid compensating the injured person and the person being interviewed doesn’t want to lose his/her job. These “investigations” result in valid claims being denied. Board-Certified truck accident lawyers can help level the playing field for the injured.

The applicable rules stem from the detailed requirements of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Many companies that engage in interstate trucking provide copies of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations to their drivers. These detailed requirements provide fertile ground to establish negligence on the part of the driver of a commercial truck.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations do not all apply to every commercial truck accident.  Different rules apply to accidents caused by a truck with a weight of 26,000 pounds or less as opposed to trucks weighing 26,001 pounds or more.  Also, trucking companies may try to avoid these regulations by only conducting intrastate business.  If you were involved in an accident with a truck that has a DOT number or MDOT number, it is important to provide those numbers to a truck accident lawyer.  A Board-Certified truck accident lawyer will be able to access important information about the truck and the trucking company with those numbers. Most vehicles that have a weight over 10,000 pounds require such a number.  Truck companies and their drivers may claim that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act regulations do not apply to your accident, but these regulations are often incorporated by State Law and by the required knowledge and skills for a commercial driver’s license. This website discussed the applicable rules based on types of accidents.