In addition to state law, federal trucking regulations govern truck operation across the United States. Federal trucking regulations are made by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a division under the US Department of Transportation. These laws are intended to protect trucker’s rights, govern the responsibilities and duties of truck drivers and their employers, protect the rights and safety of other vehicle drivers, and ensure the general safety and wellbeing of people, our roads, and our environment.
When a truck driver violates federal trucking regulations and an accident ensues, the driver and/or their employer can be held liable for the resulting damage, injuries and fatalities. This is true even if other factors contributed to the trucking accident. For this reason, it is important to have a qualified trucking attorney evaluate your accident case to determine if any federal trucking regulations were violated. Our attorneys have in-depth knowledge of Federal Trucking Regulations and how these apply to legal cases involving trucking accidents. To learn more about Federal law and your legal rights in a trucking accident case, please contact us today for a free and confidential evaluation.
Read on to learn more about the different types of federal trucking regulations.
Types of federal trucking regulations
- Hours of service rules. According to federal law, truck drivers may not drive for more than 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty. If a driver has worked 60 hours in 7 days (or, in some cases, 70 hours in an 8-day period), you are not eligible to operate the truck. The Federal Trucking Regulations provide additional stipulations and exceptions to this rule.
- Size, weigh and load regulations. To ensure the safety of trucks and prevent undue damage to our roadways, the Federal trucking regulations have explicit limitations on the length and width of trucks, their maximum weight capacity, and how their goods are loaded. Law enforcement officers are able to pull a truck over if they suspect non-compliance. Furthermore, trucks are required to stop at all designated weigh-in stations.
- Workplace drug and alcohol testing programs must be established by trucking companies and observed by all employees
- Noise and pollution emission standards
- Inspection, repair and maintenance standards
- More.
Truck Accident Facts & Statistics
Truck accident facts and statistics can help put into perspective the types of dangers associated with trucking accidents. Furthermore, these facts can help us-as a society-understand what types of risks are most prevalent in the operation of trucks on our state and nation’s roadways so that we can take steps to prevent accidents.
These facts and statistics reveal a grim picture regarding trucking accidents: because of the size and maneuvering limitations of trucks and other commercial vehicles, accidents are both more prevalent and more serious compared to regular vehicle accidents.
If you or a loved one has suffered serious injury in a truck accident, it is important to understand your legal rights and options. You may be able to seek compensation for your losses through a truck accident lawsuit. A legal suit will help you recover your financial losses and compensation for your non-material losses and suffering. Please contact us to speak with a qualified truck accident attorney today. Read on to learn more about truck accident facts and statistics.
Truck accident facts and statistics (Note: the most recent available statistics from the US Department of Transportation)
Truck accident fatalities
More than 4,500 people are killed in accidents involving large trucks and buses every year. The following chart shows the breakdown of these truck accidents based on type of truck involved.
Furthermore, truck accident statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration indicate that car drivers (56%) and passengers (20%) are much more likely to be killed in a truck accident than truck drivers (13.4%) and truck passengers (2%).
Truck accident injuries
Last year, 113,000 people were seriously injured in trucking accidents in the United States. The following chart shows the breakdown of these accidents by type of truck.
Other truck accident statistics and facts:
Gender: Men are more than two times more likely to be killed or injured in a trucking accident.
Age: While all persons between the ages of 18 and 55 are at a greater risk for trucking accidents, the risk appears greatest for those ages 18 to 25.
Area: trucking accidents are more common in rural areas than urban or suburban areas.
Time of day/week: Accidents are most likely to occur on the weekdays in the daytime.
Common causes:
- Failure to keep in proper lane
- Driving too fast (either for conditions or in excess of posted speed limits)
- Inattention (e.g. talking, eating, etc)
- Failure to yield right-of-way
- Cell phone use
If you would like to learn more about truck accidents, please contact our qualified and experienced trucking accident attorneys today.
*Note: All trucking statistics were taken from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration official reports on trucking accidents.