Commercial truck drives are held to a much higher standard than other cars. So much so that the federal government regulates them. Since trucks must follow strict regulations, if they commit a federal trucking violation, it could be evidence of negligence in a car accident case.
Here’s more on how federal trucking impact personal injury cases and common violations that could indicate negligence.
Federal Truck Regulations & Your Case
Negligence is the cornerstone of any personal injury claim — an individual has a duty of care, they breach that duty, and this breach causes an accident resulting in economic and non-economic damages.
In typical vehicle accidents, cars have a duty to follow traffic laws to avoid wrecks and keep everyone safe. When drivers fail to follow the rules and injure another driver in an accident, they could be negligent and responsible for the victim’s recovery.
The same is true for commercial trucks. However, truck drivers and their employers must follow additional regulations set by the federal government. All truck drivers must abide by these federal guidelines, including hours of service, loading limits, license requirements, and more.
Even if, for example, the driver’s drowsiness caused your accident, their employer could be negligent if they forced the trucker to drive beyond their hours-of-service limits. That’s why investigating whether a driver or their company violated a federal regulation could help you identify all the at-fault parties and prove their negligence.