While various aspects of truck safety are enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), it’s ultimately up to truck drivers and trucking companies to abide by safety regulations to do their part to make the roads as safe as possible.
Truck safety is a responsibility bestowed on both truck drivers and trucking companies. When any party fails to promote truck safety, accidents can happen.
When any party responsible for truck safety fails to live up to this obligation, the risk of truck accidents increases, and people injured in any resulting truck accident will likely be entitled to compensation for their injuries and losses.
Truck Safety for Truck Drivers
In terms of truck safety for truck drivers, truckers’ responsibilities for roadway safety can include doing the following:
- Following all traffic laws at all times
- Keeping trucks well maintained, which includes the responsibility of inspecting trucks between driving shifts
- Undergoing the proper training and not getting behind the wheel without it
- Complying with federal hours-of-service regulations (and all other federal and state trucking regulations)
- Not driving when they are exhausted or excessively fatigued
- Not drinking alcohol or using drugs prior to getting behind the wheel
- Putting down their cellphones and minimizing any other possible distractions so that they maintain their focus on the road
- Properly loading trucks, including balancing truck loads and properly securing cargo to trucks.
It’s important to point out that truck safety for truck drivers is not limited to the above listed items and that experienced attorneys will be effective at determining when drivers’ failure to do their part to keep the roads safe has contributed to an accident.
Truck Safety for Trucking Companies
With truck safety for trucking companies, some of the specific responsibilities that these businesses have can include (but are not limited to):
- Making sure that truckers have the appropriate training prior to putting them behind the wheels of big rigs
- Keeping trucks well maintained
- Ensuring that their trucks are equipped with the appropriate safety equipment like, for instance, underride guardrails and reflectors
- Abiding by federal and state trucking regulations
- Reprimanding drivers who may defy federal and/or state trucking regulations.
Denver Truck Accident Attorneys at McLaughlin Law Firm
Have you been hurt in or lost a loved one to a truck accident? If so, it’s time to contact the Denver truck accident lawyers at McLaughlin Law Firm With more than 35 years of combined legal experience, our skilled attorneys are effective at aggressively defending victims’ rights, and we have a proven record of success helping victims obtain the maximum possible settlements for their injuries and losses.
Our Denver truck accident attorneys are dedicated to being there for our clients at every stage of their case. While this means that we are diligent about providing each of our clients’ cases with the personalized attention they deserve, it also results in us doing what is necessary to help our clients obtain the compensation and justice they need and deserve.
Let’s Talk about Your Rights and Your Case
If you have been injured in any type of truck accident, the Denver trucking accident lawyers at McLaughlin Law Firm are ready to fight for you. We encourage you to learn more about your rights and get a thorough, professional evaluation of your case by meeting with us for a free, no obligations initial consult.
To set up this meeting today, call us at 720-420-9800 or email us using the form on this page.
