What is an Underride Guard (AKA Mansfield Bar)?
There's no "good" way for a passenger vehicle to crash with a commercial truck, but one of the worst forms of that is an underride collision where a car travels beneath a truck or trailer. Modern 18-wheelers are meant to have some built-in protections to help prevent those crashes or at least reduce their damage,...
How Often Do Truck Drivers Fail DOT Physicals?
Truck drivers have to undergo a physical exam at least once every two years to ensure they're in good enough health to safely operate a commercial vehicle. Some pass with flying colors while doctors may ask others to return sooner than 24 months for monitoring. Still others, however, fail the DOT exam for one reason...
What is the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners?
Among the many regulations governing commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) are ones about drivers passing mandatory physical exams to ensure they're fit to do the job. Not just any doctor can conduct the exam, though; in fact, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) created a specific registry of approved physicians permitted to test drivers and...
What is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration?
Commercial vehicles like tractor-trailers are integral to our country's economic and logistical needs, but they can be extremely dangerous if mishandled. That's why the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has many rules and regulations about how to maximize the safety of those vehicle, their drivers, and everyone around them on the road. But who actually...
What is a Commercial Motor Vehicle?
Knowing which kinds of vehicles fall under the umbrella of "commercial motor vehicle" is more important than some may realize, since the rules governing them and the expected behavior of their drivers are different from those of personal vehicles. So what exactly is a commercial motor vehicle? Answer: A commercial motor vehicle (CMV) is a...
What is a Commercial Driver?
Heavy vehicles that move passengers or cargo from place to place are generally classified as commercial vehicles. The operators of those vehicles must be specially trained and licensed to drive them due to their increased size and the complexities of driving them safely—and the rules they must follow differ from those for drivers of passenger...
Do Commercial Drivers Cheat on DOT Physicals?
The law requires new and current commercial drivers to be healthy enough to operate their vehicles safely. Drivers are expected to see physicians and be cleared to drive at least once every two years, and if they don't state agencies may revoke their commercial status. One might think that's enough reason for drivers to handle...
Who Is Responsible for Ensuring Truck Drivers Undergo DOT Physicals?
The Department of Transportation mandates that truck drivers get a physical checkup at least once every 2 years. The purpose is simple: Ensure truck drivers are fit to drive. Of course a rule is only effective when someone enforces it, which raises the question: Who is actually responsible for making sure that truck drivers stay...
Can a Driver Still Operate an 18-Wheeler if They Fail a Physical?
Per the Department of Transportation, all commercial drivers must undergo regular physical exams to make sure they're in good enough shape to safely operate their vehicles. The requirement is inflexible and every commercial driver must comply at least once every 2 years to maintain their CDL. But what happens to drivers who fail the exam?...
What are DOT Truck Driver Physical Exams?
Truck drivers have a demanding job and it’s crucial that they’re able to do it properly. That means they need extensive training, but on top of that they have to be in good health. That’s why the Department of Transportation requires all commercially licensed drivers to get regular health checkups from certified physicians. So what...
What Are the Truck Driver Hours of Service Rules?
Recognizing the danger of letting truck drivers go on extended "long haul" drives until they are dangerously exhausted, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) imposed limits on the amount of time a truck driver may legally operate their vehicle before they're required to rest. So what exactly are those "hours of service" rules? Answer:...
How Do Truck Accident Victims’ Lawyers use DOT Driver Physicals in Lawsuits?
Truck driver medical episodes should be incredibly uncommon because they’re required as part of their job to pass a physical every 1-2 years to stay on the road. Despite this requirement, a truck driver causing a crash because of a medical episode is not nearly as rare as it should be. When these accidents result...
Why Do Truckers Falsify Their Records of Duty Status (Hours of Service Logs)?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) established the Hours of Service (HOS) Rule with the intention to limit—even completely prevent—crashes due to driver fatigue. Additionally, the HOS Rule aims to protect drivers from harassment and forced, unsafe driving by their employers. So why would some truckers intentionally violate the HOS rule and edit their...
Do Electronic Logging Devices Actually Prevent Drivers From Driving Fatigued?
Plans don't always work out in real life the way we plan them. The same is true for regulations, and a very good example of that can be seen in the way the federal government tries to stop truck driver fatigue by making truckers keep an electronic log of the hours they're behind the wheel....
Does Every Commercial Truck Driver Have to Log their Hours-of-Service?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires all commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers to maintain logs, called Record of Duty Status (RODS), to show when the driver is on the clock, driving, not driving, sleeping in a truck's sleeper berth, and when the driver is off the clock. The goal is to prevent tired truck...
What Are Hours of Service Logs for Truck Drivers?
If a commercial truck driver falls asleep at the wheel, it could have devastating effects. Because of this, the agency that regulates the trucking industry, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), established limits on how long a driver can be behind the wheel of their truck before the driver has to take a rest...
Who Creates Commercial Truck Regulations?
It goes without saying that large commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) can cause a lot more harm than the standard vehicles we drive every day, and naturally, there are additional regulations for these commercial trucks. But who makes these regulations and enforces them? The Short Answer: The government. The Long Answer: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety...
How Do I Dispute a Police Report Error?
People often call our law firm upset that the police report for their crash is wrong and incorrectly blames them for their own loss. We take these calls very seriously as we understand crash reports truly might have errors. To be perfectly clear, most people place too much stock in police reports. While no one...
What Evidence Do Police Reports Miss in a Commercial Truck Accident Case?
Many people inaccurately believe that all they need is a police report in their favor to win a commercial truck lawsuit. However, a police report is not a definitive determination of fault, as that is not their purpose. In actuality, a police report is designed to aid in criminal prosecution, and they are essential in...
What Should I Do after an Accident with an 18-Wheeler?
There are a lot of negligent truck drivers on the roads in Texas, which makes serious accidents an unfortunate reality. The scene that follows those crashes is often chaotic, victims may be disoriented or seriously injured, and they might not be sure what to do first—or at all. What steps should someone take after an...