Driver Responsibilities

Drivers of trucks over 10,000 lbs. carry an enormous amount of responsibility. Not only are they required to do their job, but they’re also required to adhere to numerous strict regulations designed to protect roads, promote safety, and reduce the risk of accident occurrence. When a driver fails to meet these requirements, or ignores State and Federal laws, people get injured. It is your attorney’s job to investigate the accident and discover how the driver’s negligence may have contributed to or caused the accident that devastated you and your family.

FAILURE TO FOLLOW REGULATIONS
The majority of large truck crashes occur in good weather during the daytime, so the majority of factors leading to crashes involve an action or failure to act on the part of the driver.

EQUIPMENT SAFETY AND PROPER INSPECTION
Before each journey, operators are required to inspect their rigs and meet all safety standards. Failure to perform proper inspection, or failure to report or correct defects or malfunctions can create a dangerous situation on the roadways.

FATIGUE
Large truck operators are required by law to pass thorough instruction and training sessions centered around the importance of a sound mind and healthy body during travel. When drivers ignore these rules and attempt to drive too many consecutive hours, they put lives at risk.

DANGEROUS DRIVING
In 21% of fatal accidents, speeding was a contributing factor. Around 27% of all large truck drivers involved in fatal truck accidents had at least one prior speeding conviction.

DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
Federal law prohibits operating a large truck with a BAC level of 0.02 or higher.

Click Here for in-depth information on Federal Regulations in the trucking industry

For more information on truck accident laws in your state, or to request a FREE truck accident case evaluation, email or call us at 866-960-5000. We are located in Texas, but co-counsel with truck accident attorneys throughout the US.