Drunk driving regulations for commercial truck drivers
Drunk driving regulations for commercial truck drivers
On Behalf of Bradley, Drendel & Jeanney • Oct 06, 2016
Trucking regulations are mandated mostly by federal law rather than state law. That’s because trucks often cross state lines and travel on interstates that are governed by such laws. Commercial truck drivers are obligated to uphold a standard of care higher than that of motor vehicle drivers. This is due to the dangerous nature of their job in the trucking industry.
It is dangerous, in theory, to be anywhere near a commercial truck, 18-wheeler or big-rig. This is due to their size and ability to potentially lose control and cause serious injury to anyone in the immediate vicinity. This is why blood alcohol content levels for anyone driving a commercial truck are stricter than for most motor vehicle drivers. The BAC legal limit for anyone driving a commercial truck is .04, which is half the legal limit for drivers in most states.
Commercial truck drivers are more likely to be required to submit to drug or alcohol testing after a truck accident. They also face harsher penalties if they refuse to submit to a blood alcohol test. It is, essentially, the equivalent to pleading guilty to DUI. Drunk truck drivers have caused catastrophic truck accidents. It is entirely preventable and unacceptable for a truck driver to be intoxicated behind the wheel.
If a drunk truck driver has caused you or your family serious injury in a Reno truck accident, this is grounds for seeking recovery. There are stricter regulations for truck drivers in just about every area of highway safety, and intoxicated drivers can be held accountable for their actions and any injury they may have caused. Federal law requires that truck drivers uphold a duty of care for themselves and others. If a truck driver failed to do this by driving intoxicated and caused serious injury, there are potential consequences.
Source: FindLaw, “Commercial DUI Regulations,” Accessed October 3, 2016