Common Violations That Lead to Commercial Truck Accidents

Every year, thousands of people across the country are seriously injured in commercial truck accidents caused not by bad luck, but by preventable violations. These are crashes that federal regulations were specifically designed to stop, and when trucking companies or drivers ignore those rules, the consequences can be devastating.

At Knowles Law Firm, our team has spent more than 55 years representing injury victims throughout Nebraska. As a family-owned firm, we take a personal approach to every case, working closely with clients to investigate the violations that caused their accidents and pursue the compensation they deserve. If you or someone you know was hurt in a truck accident, we are here to help you understand your rights and options.

What Regulations Govern Commercial Truck Drivers?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets the standards that commercial truck drivers and carriers must follow to operate legally. These rules address everything from how long a driver can be on the road to how a vehicle must be maintained before each haul. 

According to the FMCSA’s Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts report, in 2022 alone, there were over 6,000 large trucks involved in fatal crashes across the United States. When these rules are broken, the risk to everyone on the road increases dramatically. Violations can occur at the driver level, the company level, or both. In many cases, carriers push drivers to meet unrealistic schedules, leading to multiple violations at once.

Which Violations Most Commonly Lead to Truck Accidents?

Several types of violations appear repeatedly in truck accident investigations. These are the areas where failures most often translate directly into crashes.

Hours of Service Violations

Federal law limits the number of consecutive hours a truck driver can operate a vehicle before taking mandatory rest breaks. These rules exist because fatigued driving is a significant contributor to large truck accidents. When drivers or companies falsify logbooks, skip required rest periods, or stay on the road past legal limits, the risk of a fatigue-related accident rises sharply. Signs of hours-of-service violations often appear in electronic logging device (ELD) data recovered during an investigation.

Distracted and Impaired Driving

Texting, using a handheld phone, and other forms of distracted driving are illegal for commercial drivers under federal law. Because of the size and weight of commercial trucks, even a momentary distraction can result in a catastrophic accident. Drunk driving and drug use are also concerns in truck accidents, as commercial drivers are held to a stricter blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit of 0.04 percent compared to 0.08 for standard drivers.

Improper Loading and Cargo Securement

When cargo is not properly secured or a trailer is overloaded, the truck becomes much harder to control. Shifting loads can cause a driver to lose stability on curves or during sudden braking, increasing the risk of a rollover accident. Federal regulations require carriers to follow strict weight limits and cargo securement standards, and violations of these rules are a common finding in accident investigations.

Vehicle Maintenance Failures

Commercial carriers are required to inspect and maintain their vehicles on a regular schedule. The following types of maintenance violations frequently appear in truck accident cases:

• Brake failures
• Tire defects
• Lighting and signal failures
• Steering and suspension issues

When a carrier skips required pre-trip inspections or ignores known defects, they may be held liable for the accidents those failures cause.

Contact Knowles Law Firm After a Commercial Truck Accident in Nebraska

Commercial truck accident cases require a thorough investigation, detailed knowledge of federal safety regulations, and the willingness to take on large carriers and their insurers. The violations described in this blog are among the most common factors our team examines when building a case for an injured client.

If you were hurt in a commercial truck accident in Nebraska, the attorneys at Knowles Law Firm are ready to help. Our family has been fighting for injury victims for more than five decades, and we treat every case with the individual attention it deserves. Reach out to us today by completing our contact form to schedule a consultation.