It's no secret that the legal rules and regulations truck drivers are expected to follow are numerous. Intense precautionary measures for truckers are put in place by the law because of how severe the consequences of truck accidents can be. Since trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, they often result in very serious accidents that cause severe injuries, deaths, and of course, a lot of property damage.

Out of the many rules that truck drivers are expected to follow, one of them is the intense warning against driving while under any sort of intoxication. All truck drivers are regularly tested throughout the year to make sure there are no alcohol or drugs in their system. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) tests for most drugs such as alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, opiates, and Phencyclidine.

Under what conditions can a truck driver be tested for intoxicants?

A law enforcement official or a trucking company can pull a truck driver over and require them to give their blood test under the following circumstances:

• If they have a reason to be suspicious
• Randomly
• Before hiring the truck driver
• After an accident occurs
• As a follow-up precaution

If any drugs or at least 0.04% of alcohol is found in their system, they can be liable to very serious legal repercussions. The FMCSA does not permit substance abuse by truckers whether they are on duty or off duty. Despite the extreme restrictions and warnings placed on truck drivers, truck accidents involving impaired drivers are still relatively common. A study conducted by NHTSA found that at least 60 accidents in recent years were caused by truck drivers who were driving while intoxicated.

Anyone who gets into a truck accident should call a truck accident attorney in Alabama as soon as possible to begin the investigation process. Since truck collisions can be very complicated and they often involve many different parties, the help of a legal professional can help a person determine who is liable for the accident and can also help a person make sure they get the most compensation from the accident as is possible for them.

If an investigation uncovers that a truck driver was not following the regulations set forth by the law, they can be forced to pay more compensation to those who suffered as a result of their negligence. During the investigation, an attorney will collect evidence- from photographs of the scene of the accident to the logging records of the truck driver- to prove that the trucker was responsible for the accident. If they can successfully gather enough evidence to prove the negligence of the driver or a third party, then a person is legally eligible to get compensated for their losses.

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