When you share a road with a commercial vehicle, there are a lot of reasons that you should be able to feel confident in the driver’s ability to keep their vehicle, and you, safe. Truck drivers in the United States are held to higher standards and more rigorous testing than simple passenger vehicle license applications because of how much more complicated it is to operate a semi-truck, 18-wheeler, or another heavy commercial vehicle. While the trucking industry itself has taken many steps over the years to improve safety standards for their drivers and surrounding vehicles alike, the United States has had a dedicated body devoted to these safety standards since the year 2000 to frame Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
Before the formation of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, these regulations were implemented by the Department of Transportation. Since it was formed, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations has continuously worked towards its goal of making the “roadways safer for the public and the CMV industry.”
The following are some of the better-known regulations that are intended to make our roadways safer for all of those who travel along with them. If you are in an accident with a commercial truck, you will need to understand the FMCSA regulations to recognize whether or not the driver of the commercial truck violated any of these safety standards. If they violated any of these regulations, your case will be stronger as you prove fault.
Contact us now to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney in San Diego about how we can help you move forward from these types of accidents. The commercial trucking insurance claims process is complicated, and oftentimes overwhelming, for people who are not familiar with them. Instead of trying to learn all about these specifics, allow us to represent you so that you can focus on recovery.
Who Must Comply With Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets forth the rules and laws that are designed to keep our public roads safer by laying out the regulations for commercial truck drivers and bus drivers and how they can operate as safely as possible. Essentially, anyone who operated a commercial motor vehicle is expected to be very familiar with these regulations and committed to staying compliant for the safety of all those around them. Commercial motor vehicles are any vehicle that transports goods or people as a service, in exchange for compensation.
Examples of Commercial Motor Vehicles
Commercial motor vehicles include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Pickup trucks
- Box trucks
- Dump trucks
- Semi-trucks
- Vans
- Coach buses
- Trailers
Commercial Drivers License
To operate a commercial motor vehicle, a driver needs to have a commercial driver’s license (CDL), and a number issued by the Department of Transportation, and a variety of other commercial markings on the vehicle. Each of the markings gives specific information as to the nature of the industry or type of cargo that the CMV and driver are transporting, and in many cases require additional certifications and licenses to engage in certain types of transport.
A bus driver and a truck driver hauling natural gas are both CDL drivers, but both have very different certifications and licenses that allow them to transport people and hazardous materials, respectively. The safety requirements are set forth by a range of governing bodies but are ultimately carried out and enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
After an Accident With a Commercial Motor Vehicle
If you have been involved in an accident with a commercial motor vehicle of any kind, you will likely need to understand the regulations that they are subject to, and whether or not they violated any of these regulations that were set forth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This process can be overwhelming on your own, especially when your priority should be recovering from the injuries that you sustained during this accident.
Contact us now to speak with an experienced legal team about your options and how to best move forward with this situation in a manner that maximizes your chances of a positive outcome. Schedule an initial consultation with us today, so that you can focus on getting your life back on track without the added stress of understanding federal safety regulations.