Drug and Alcohol Abuse

According to statistics, driver impairment is among the most common reasons for a truck accident to occur. In many cases, alcohol is less of a problem than is drug abuse. Truck drivers are notorious for consuming various drugs to remain alert during their long hauls. Unfortunately for their victims, these drivers cause catastrophic levels of damage, and many people have lost loved ones to this reckless behavior.

If you believe that a drunk driver contributed to your crash, then you are in need of a helping hand. We at The Lenahan Law Firm have years of experience working with victims of drunk truck drivers, and we understand just how devastating these collisions can be. If you want to talk, call our Dallas truck accident attorneys at (214) 295-1008 today.

Commercial vehicle drivers are held to higher safety standards than other drivers because of their time spent on the road and the impact of the vehicle if an accident does occur. For commercial vehicle operators, the legal blood alcohol content level is 0.04%, which is about half of the legal limit for drivers of regular vehicles. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) also states that truck drivers cannot consume alcohol within four hours of their shift.

This higher standard for truck drivers is primarily due to the size of their vehicles. A standard passenger vehicle can cause serious damage during a collision. However, trucks weigh about 16 times as much as a standard car and are much larger. This drastic increase in size and weight means that trucks are capable of driving directly over cars and will not be slowed to a stop until they have already crushed dozens of vehicles. A drunk truck driver is far more likely to lose control of his vehicle, and an out-of-control truck can take countless lives, leaving a trail of destruction behind it.

Truck drivers are required to submit to random tests to assess the presence of alcohol and drugs in their system. Trucking companies are given the authority to administer a blood and alcohol test to their employees who seem suspicious. In fact, truck companies are required to administer random tests to 10% of their employees every year. If a driver refuses to submit to a test, their job will be on the line. Even with these trucking regulations in place, truck accidents from drug or alcohol intoxication is a prevalent problem.