When you’re building a truck accident case, you’ve got something passenger car accidents don’t have: a thick rulebook of federal regulations that trucking companies must follow. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration doesn’t just suggest guidelines—they mandate specific rules that every commercial driver and trucking company must obey. And when they don’t? Those violations become powerful evidence in your claim.
Here’s the thing: proving a trucking company broke federal law is often easier than proving general negligence. The rules are black and white, written down, and well-documented. Below, our friends at Warner & Fitzmartin – Personal Injury Lawyers break down how these regulations can strengthen your case.
Hours Of Service Violations: When Fatigue Takes Over
Truck drivers can’t just drive until they’re tired. Federal hours of service regulations strictly limit how long drivers can be behind the wheel and mandate specific rest periods.
According to FMCSA regulations, property-carrying drivers face several critical limits. They can’t drive more than 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty. They also can’t drive beyond 14 hours after coming on duty following those 10 hours off. And there’s a weekly cap—drivers can’t drive after 60 hours on duty in seven consecutive days or 70 hours in eight consecutive days.
When trucking companies push drivers to violate these rules to meet tight deadlines, they’re creating dangerous conditions. Driver fatigue impairs reaction time, decision-making, and awareness—basically everything you need to safely operate an 80,000-pound vehicle. If electronic logging device data or logbooks show hours of service violations around the time of your accident, that’s direct evidence the company prioritized profits over safety.
Maintenance And Inspection Requirements
Commercial trucks don’t get to skip their checkups. Federal regulations require comprehensive maintenance programs and regular inspections to keep these massive vehicles roadworthy.
Motor carriers must conduct annual inspections on all commercial vehicles. These thorough examinations must cover brake systems, steering mechanisms, lighting devices, tires, wheels, emergency equipment, and dozens of other components. The inspection must be performed by qualified inspectors, and records must be retained for 14 months.
But that’s not all. A good truck accident lawyer knows that drivers must also complete pre-trip and post-trip inspections, documenting any defects or safety concerns. When these inspection records are missing, falsified, or show ignored maintenance issues, it demonstrates negligence. If brake failure caused your accident and inspection records reveal the trucking company knew about brake problems but didn’t fix them? That’s exactly the kind of violation that strengthens your case significantly.
Driver Qualification Standards
Not just anyone can climb into a semi-truck and start hauling cargo. The FMCSA has established comprehensive entry-level driver training requirements that apply to anyone seeking a Class A or Class B commercial driver’s license for the first time.
As of February 2022, entry-level drivers must complete training from registered providers that meet federal standards. This includes both classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel training on a range and public roads. Drivers must demonstrate proficiency in all required elements before they can obtain their CDL.
Trucking companies must also maintain qualification files for each driver, including their driving record, medical examinations, road test results, and proof of training. When companies cut corners by hiring unqualified drivers or failing to properly verify credentials, they’re violating federal law. If the driver who hit you didn’t meet qualification standards or the company didn’t maintain proper files, that violation becomes evidence of the company’s negligence.
Cargo Securement Rules
Improperly loaded cargo doesn’t just shift—it can cause trucks to jackknife, roll over, or spill loads onto highways. Federal cargo securement standards specify exactly how different types of cargo must be tied down, blocked, and braced.
These regulations aren’t vague suggestions. They detail the number of tie-downs required based on cargo weight and length, the working load limits for securing devices, and specific requirements for different cargo types. When cargo comes loose and causes an accident, reviewing whether the trucking company or cargo loader followed these regulations can establish clear liability.
Drug And Alcohol Testing
Commercial drivers are subject to strict drug and alcohol testing requirements that don’t apply to regular motorists. Trucking companies must have testing programs that include pre-employment screening, random testing, post-accident testing, and reasonable suspicion testing.
If a driver causes an accident while impaired, the company’s testing records become crucial evidence. Did they conduct required random tests? Did they follow up on previous positive results? Did they clear the driver to return to duty after a violation? Failures in the testing program can show the company enabled the driver’s dangerous behavior.
Why These Violations Matter
Federal regulations exist because trucking is inherently dangerous. These rules were written in response to crashes, injuries, and deaths. When trucking companies violate them, they’re not just breaking technical rules—they’re creating the exact dangerous conditions these regulations were designed to prevent.
In a legal context, regulatory violations can establish negligence per se in some jurisdictions, meaning the violation itself proves the company was negligent. Even where that legal doctrine doesn’t apply, violations are powerful evidence that the trucking company failed to meet their duty of care.
Getting The Evidence
Here’s the challenge: trucking companies don’t typically hand over evidence of their own violations. Electronic logging devices can be overwritten, maintenance records can disappear, and driver qualification files can be selectively edited.
That’s why it’s crucial to act quickly after a truck accident. Federal regulations require trucking companies to maintain specific documentation, but only if someone demands it before it’s destroyed or lost. Spoliation letters can prevent document destruction, and subpoenas can compel production of the records you need to prove violations.
The Bottom Line
The federal trucking rules create a roadmap for proving your case. When companies violate them, they’re essentially documenting their own negligence. Those violations can transform your claim from a he-said-she-said disagreement into a clear-cut case of regulatory noncompliance. Consider consulting with a qualified attorney who understands how to preserve evidence and navigate these complex federal regulations—that knowledge can make all the difference in holding negligent trucking companies accountable.