Safety Requirements for Truck Drivers in Nevada

The first thing that visitors to Nevada often notice is the beautiful scenery that can be seen from our state’s highways. The second thing they notice is the sheer number of trucks on the highways. According to the Department of Transportation, there are nearly as many trucks as tourist vehicles on the highways of Nevada. Driving a truck, however, is a lot more complicated than driving a car.

The requirements for being licensed to drive big trucks are much stricter than driver’s license requirements. Of course, trucking accidents often cause a lot more damage than car accidents. Unlike cars, trucks are such massive machines that it is possible for a person to get injured by a truck even if the truck is not moving.

Failure to comply with the many regulations regarding trucks and their operations constitutes negligence, and it is the cause of many accidents that involve trucks. If you can prove that the truck driver failed to meet one of these requirements, leading to the accident that caused your injuries, you may have a case for a lawsuit.

Mandatory Rest Periods 

It goes without saying that it is dangerous to drive when you are too tired. Falling asleep behind the wheel is an extreme case, but even in less extreme circumstances, drivers who do not get enough rest are more likely to be distracted and to cause accidents.

Federal law limits the amount of time truck drivers can spend driving in a day. A truck driver’s workday is limited to 14 hours. The driver must take at least one break during that workday; he cannot drive for more than 11 hours without stopping to rest. After a 14-hour workday, the driver must rest for at least 10 hours before beginning his next shift.

While there is no strict requirement for truck drivers taking a day off each week, the maximum number of hours that one driver can drive a truck in a week is 77.

Weight Limits 

Driving with an overloaded truck is dangerous. It is harder to control the vehicle, and the trailer is at increased risk of tipping over. Many highways have weigh stations to make sure that a truck is not carrying more than the maximum amount of weight that it is authorized to carry.

Brake Malfunctions

If you have ever tried to drive a car with faulty brakes, you know what a difference functional brakes can make. Trucks, because of their size, take even longer to stop. Poorly maintained brakes make accidents much more likely, especially in mountainous areas. Trucks are required to have their brakes checked often.

If you have been injured in an accident involving a truck, it is worth investigating whether that truck and the person driving it were in compliance with state and federal regulations. Contact Brock Ohlson, Nevada’s Personal Injury Lawyer, to prepare your personal injury case involving a trucking accident.

Contact Brock Ohlson for Representation in Cases Involving Trucking Accidents