Are Semi-Truck Drivers Violating FMCSA Safety Regulations?

This video features Carson R. Runge, a Medical Malpractice attorney based in Texas.

Attorney Carson Runge | 888-364-6814 | Free Consult

“It’s basic physics that when you get hit by an 18-wheeler you’re going to lose. Every time, bottom line.”

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) creates federal rules that all truck drivers must follow to keep everyone safe on the road. However, investigations reveal that semi-truck drivers are violating FMCSA regulations to stay on the road longer than regulations allow. In many cases, their employers encourage them to do this.

Carson R. Runge is a personal injury attorney with Sloan Law Firm with offices in Longview and Houston, TX. He concentrates his practice on catastrophic personal injury cases.

In this interview, he explains how truckers can skirt these regulations, what can happen when truckers drive for too long, and how an experienced trucking attorney can hold negligent companies and drivers accountable.

To learn more, contact the attorney directly by calling 888-364-6814 or by submitting a contact form on this page. There is no charge for the consultation, and you never owe any out-of-pocket attorney fees.

Key Takeaways From Carson Runge:

Both state and federal regulations exist to protect truck drivers and others on the road from unnecessary hazards, including fatigued driving, driving while under the influence and more. The primary purpose of these regulations is to manage the number of hours a truck driver can travel before stopping to take a rest. These regulations are vitally important to prevent truck drivers from driving fatigued, which is otherwise a primary cause of severe trucking accidents.

Some trucking companies may pressure their drivers to break regulation.

Hours of service violations are unfortunately common in the trucking industry, and they can be perpetrated by both individual drivers and trucking companies. While many trucking companies are aware of industry regulations and take measures to properly enforce them, other trucking companies have been known to overlook regulations in an effort to keep drivers on the road as much as possible.

As a general rule, if a truck isn’t moving, it isn’t making money. The desire for increased profit can lead many trucking companies to pressure their drivers to cut safety corners, drive while fatigued, and even falsify logbooks. Despite log books going primarily digital, there are still ways to falsify these logs to make it look like a driver was resting per regulation when they were really on the road.

Trucking companies will not voluntarily release these logbooks.

This is why it’s important to contact an attorney as soon as possible after being involved in a collision with a semi-truck or 18-wheeler. The more time an accident victim waits to seek legal counsel after an accident is more time for potential evidence to be destroyed or naturally dispersed. In case of a lawsuit, the average layperson will not be able to gain access to a truck driver’s log books or identify signs that the book might have been falsified.

Truck drivers have a notoriously hard job. Most of them are responsible, well-trained drivers. However, even one bad apple on the road can result in catastrophic injuries and even fatalities for anyone who finds themselves involved in an altercation with their vehicle.

Contact an experienced truck accident attorney as soon as possible after an accident.

Truck accident attorneys are well-versed in this field and know how to obtain the necessary evidence as soon as possible to prove if negligence occurred on the part of the truck driver or trucking company, making them liable for a victim’s damages. Damages in these cases often include medical bills, lost wages, and more. If the victim of a truck accident is too injured to contact an attorney, a loved one can do so on their behalf. Most of the attorneys who handle these cases work on a contingency fee basis, which means that a client will not have to pay for their attorney’s services unless the attorney wins their case. This allows the injured party to focus on healing and recovery rather than stressing about how they are going to pay for their medical bills and legal counsel.

To learn more, contact Carson Runge directly by calling 888-364-6814 or by submitting a contact form on this page. There is no charge for the consultation, and you never owe any out-of-pocket attorney fees.

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