Did you know that large trucks weigh between 10,000 and 80,000 pounds? If a large truck, weighing 50,000 pounds and traveling at 55 miles per hour strikes a car, it exerts a force of 4710 pounds per square inch into the car and its passengers. Large trucks, whether empty or fully loaded, have the potential to inflict severe injuries and are extremely dangerous when operated in a negligent fashion.
For that reason, the Federal government and the state of Maryland, have many laws in place designed to protect drivers. In the following series of posts, we explain some of the laws that govern truck drivers here in Maryland, and beyond.
A victim of in an accident involving a truck is best served by attorneys that have experience in navigating the complex series of federal laws governing commercial vehicle drivers.
Hours of Service
The Federal government places a limit on the number of hours the driver of an eighteen wheeler may drive during a twenty four hour period. Generally, the driver of a commercial truck may not drive more than eleven hours after ten hours off duty and may not drive more than sixty hours during a seven day work week.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, driver fatigue was a factor in a percentage of fatal and non-fatal accidents in 2005.