Federal State Trucking Regulations

Driving Logs, Maintenance Logs, Safety Standards

The federal government, as well as Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas and other state governments, has many regulations aimed at increasing truck safety and preventing accidents. While federal and state trucking regulations do not guarantee safety, they do make it easier to establish liability and obtain much-needed information in determining what happened in a truck accident.

Truck Accident Lawyers

As experienced truck accident lawyers, we know trucking regulations by chapter and verse. Truck accident victims can depend on Gray Ritter Graham in St. Louis to apply the strengths and weaknesses of the regulations when investigating truck accidents.

• Trucking companies and their drivers are required to keep driver logs and maintenance logs to document how many hours the driver has been behind the wheel and how often the truck has been maintained. Many accidents are caused by driver fatigue or by inadequate maintenance.
• The black box (electronic data recorder — EDR) is required on large trucks and can produce valuable information about what happened immediately before and during a truck accident. The EDR and its evidence must be preserved, and we work to make this happen as soon as we get involved in any truck accident case.
• Trucks are not safe just because they meet government standards. These are minimum standards, and the trucking industry works hard to make them remain that way. Trucking companies and vehicle manufacturers are liable when they do not adhere to these minimum standards or correct known safety problems.
• The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires truck drivers to undergo testing for alcohol, drugs and controlled substances to ensure they are not driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

Punitive Damages

If the truck driver, trucking company or the truck itself was not in compliance with state and federal regulations, it may be possible to seek punitive damages. These damages punish irresponsible parties for their negligence, serve as a deterrent to others, and compensate injury victims for losses they incur.

Trucking Companies Are Responsible for Maintaining Safe Trucks

Contact our St. Louis truck accident attorneys for a consultation. There is no charge to talk to a lawyer, and you will pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.