3 ways that trucking companies are liable for accidents
The federal government has created an array of laws that govern the activities of commercial trucking companies and the truck drivers that work for them. This is because of the extreme dangers presented by heavy semi-trucks, which move slowly and cannot navigate traffic in an agile way, making semi-trucks more prone to being in an accident. In an effort to keep drivers and the numerous people who share the road with them safe, these federal regulations provide rules relating to:
- Limits on how many consecutive hours and how many consecutive days truck drivers can work before they must take scheduled rest breaks
- Special maintenance standards for trucks
- Special rules about how trucks can navigate traffic on the highway and where they can and cannot be driven
- Rules against the use of cellphones and other distractions
- Many other rules and regulations
Even though truck drivers and their employers are bound by federal guidelines, they still make numerous mistakes and/or blatantly choose to disregard the law. Here are some of the primary ways that trucking companies may be at fault and liable for a truck accident:
- Failing to adequately train truck drivers in safety and other driving techniques
- Creating ways of compensating drivers that encourage drivers to speed and violate rest time regulations
- Setting unrealistic delivery schedules and unrealistic expectations that cause drivers to take undue risks
If you were hurt in a semi-truck accident, it’s important to review the facts of your case to determine if the semi-truck driver or trucking company violated federal rules in your accident. Such evidence could be helpful to support a potential legal claim for financial damages.