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Pennsylvania Truck Crash Attorneys

Even though there are laws put in place at the federal and state level to regulate the safe operation and maintenance of commercial trucks, they are not always followed. Laws alone won’t protect passengers who share the road with these big rigs, which weigh approximately 40 times more than a passenger vehicle. However, the laws do provide strict guidelines for trucking companies and their drivers to follow when navigating roads and highways across the United States.

There are two agencies responsible for setting trucking rules, regulations, and requirements for interstate surface transportation at the federal and state level. The agencies are the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Surface Transportation Board (STB). Trucking agencies have very strict regulations to comply with and our teams of aggressive Pennsylvania big rig accident attorneys at Reiff and Bily are familiar with all aspects of these complicated laws. Negligent truck drivers who violate these laws will be held accountable for the damage they cause to you or a loved one.

Important Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations have several sections that our lawyers use to navigate the details of your accident to uncover violations:

Part 382 - Controlled Substances and Alcohol Use and Testing - the purpose of this regulation is to prevent accidents and injuries resulting from the misuse of alcohol or use of controlled substances by drivers of commercial motor vehicles.

Part 383 - Commercial Driver’s License Standards - this regulation is meant to reduce or prevent truck or bus accidents, fatalities, and injuries by requiring drivers to have a single commercial motor vehicle driver’s license and by disqualifying drivers who operate commercial motor vehicles in an unsafe manner.

Part 387 - Minimum Levels of Financial Responsibility for Motor Carriers - this section details the minimum levels of financial responsibility to be maintained by motor carriers of property operating vehicles in interstate, foreign, or intrastate commerce. This regulation ensures that motor carriers maintain appropriate levels of financial responsibility in case there is an accident and a "settlement value" must be established in the event of injury or death.

Part 399 - Employee Safety and Health Standards - this regulation determines if the trucking company followed all safety laws and took all health precautions to keep the highways and roads safe while operating a commercial motor vehicle.

There are many additional Federal Regulations, each dealing with various aspects of commercial vehicle operation and the possible violations that could occur, including:

• Transportation of migrant workers;
• Hours of Operation for truck drivers;
• Truck maintenance/inspection/repair;
• Transportation of hazardous material;
• Parts and accessories necessary for safe operation;
• Size, weight, length, and width of trucks;
• Truck routes;
• Passenger carrier regulations; and
• Compliance with all state laws and regulations affecting interstate motor carrier operations.

Remember, these are very complicated areas and state-to-state regulations can be extremely complex and often overlap with federal regulations. You need an experienced truck accident attorney in Philadelphia to protect you and your family from trucking companies and their insurance carriers who want to quickly "settle" your claim. Truck drivers are required to call their insurance company and wait at the scene of the accident for the team of "investigators" to arrive, but you can have your own team to immediately begin a full investigation so that evidence can be preserved and you will not be put at a disadvantage. Do not sign anything given to you by an insurance company after an accident without consulting our aggressive truck accident attorneys. Contact the attorneys at Reiff and Bily today for a free consultation by calling (800) 421-9595.

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