Truckers must follow specific regulations that aim to ensure their own safety as well as the safety of other motorists. When truckers violate these regulations, they can cause very serious accidents that can result in lifelong injuries to other drivers.
The following regulations are some of the most basic ones that truckers need to follow in order to keep our roads safe.
Hours-of-service regulations
Trucking is an industry in which time is money, and getting goods to their final destination in the fastest way possible is often the most important goal. Sometimes truckers forgo sleep in order to get to their destination quicker. That is why the federal government has specific regulations that determine how many consecutive hours a truck driver can work. When a trucker violates the hours-of-service regulations, he or she may fall asleep at the wheel, and this can cause very serious crashes.
Load safety
Trucks often carry heavy and sometimes dangerous loads. The law regulates what truckers can carry, how they must secure their loads to the truck and the specific weight they can transport.
Vehicle maintenance
Truckers must check the condition of all the components of their vehicles daily. This includes tire condition and air pressure, the connections between the truck and the trailer, the lights and other electrical and mechanical systems of the vehicle. All of these factors play into the safety of the truck on the road. When a trucker and the trucking company do not attend to proper commercial truck safety and maintenance, accidents can occur.
Medical standards for drivers
Commercial truck drivers must meet specific medical standards to ensure their fitness to perform their job. If truckers are not in the right medical condition to operate a truck, they can put themselves and other drivers at risk.