There are state and federal laws and regulations that apply specifically to commercial truck drivers or tractor-trailer drivers and the trucking companies that employ them. These laws and regulations can sometimes hold the key to a successful outcome in your case. This means your attorney must be familiar with the rules in order to handle your case properly. For this reason, it is important to hire an experienced tractor-trailer accident attorney.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) comprise the single most important set of rules which apply to the operation of commercial trucks such as tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers, tankers, hazardous materials carriers, and logging trucks. The regulations are designed to prevent accidents, promote truck safety, and benefit the general public.
Among their many requirements, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations set specific driver qualifications, mandate periodic truck inspections and maintenance, and limit the number of hours a truck driver can drive before taking a mandatory break. These rules govern the operation of tractor-trailers and large trucks. They control the manner in which a truck’s cargo is loaded and secured, the use of emergency warning signals like flares, and the mandatory use of certain equipment.
If a tractor-trailer driver and/or his trucking company fail to comply with one or more of the federal regulations and the violation(s) contributed to causing your accident, your truck accident attorney may be able to use the violations as a basis for your lawsuit against the driver and trucking company.
