When you’re on the roads, one of the scariest and most dangerous things you can see is a drunk driver. Drivers who are under the influence don’t respond to other drivers the way they should; they might speed, get too close or weave in and out of their lanes.
Because drinking and driving is so dangerous, commercial drivers are under strict regulations. These drivers may be behind the wheel of large, powerful trucks, and that means that any mistake could be life threatening for other drivers on the road.
The following laws apply to anyone who owns, leases or drives commercial vehicles; that includes private motor carriers, churches, for-hire carriers and others.
According to The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, truck drivers must be limited to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 or less when driving. Additionally, it’s also illegal for drivers to be behind the wheel if they’ve had an alcoholic drink in the last four hours before driving.
If you’re in an accident, that means that the driver may have committed a crime, even if his BAC was lower than 0.04 at the time you were hit. For example, if the driver had a drink two hours ago, started to drive and hit you, you may be able to show that he was not meant to be behind the wheel at all and that his negligence in doing so led to the accident that you were involved in. Your attorney can help you create a case that explains why the driver was negligent in his actions, so you can get the compensation you need.
Source: FindLaw, “Commercial DUI Regulations,” accessed Dec. 03, 2015