Ever stopped to think about what kind of qualifications truck drivers have to meet in order to drive their monstrous vehicles? What about regulatory testing or safety provisions 18-wheelers in Virginia or North Carolina have to go through to keep their licenses? We at Tavss Fletcher think about these things all the time because we are experienced in truck accident cases and want to represent you if your family has been affected by a truck accident.
It has been brought to our attention that truck drivers who abuse alcohol or drugs during the operation of their vehicles may compromise your safety. Since 18-wheelers are some of the primary means by which our goods get around the U.S., these trucks are in operation 24/7. That means they’re on the road with you, every hour of every day of the week—and the some of the drivers of these vehicles may be intoxicated.
The most prevalent substances involved in truck accidents in the U.S. today are alcohol, marijuana, and methamphetamines. Each one of these chemicals has a major impact on any driver’s reaction time and concentration, and when your vehicle can take up to three football fields to stop due to its weight and size, any amount can have deadly results.
There are regulations that truck drivers are expected to follow, including legally adhering to a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .04 or less. However we have to wonder if drivers are law abiding when, annually, between 46 and 140 deaths are caused by big rig drivers abusing alcohol. It is also discouraging to know that between one and three percent of all truck crashes reveal some amount of alcohol use.
We have also concluded that drugs are easily accessible to truck drivers at truck stops across the country. The National Transportation Board has reported that 12.5% of fatal truck accidents involve marijuana use. An overwhelming 85% of truck drivers who were surveyed said that methamphetamines were easy to come by on the road.
While we may not be able to stop this sort of abuse by our truck drivers, we can educate and represent you if you or your kin have the misfortune of being involved in a truck accident in southeastern Virginia or northeastern North Carolina. At Tavss Fletcher we have lawyers who are familiar with the state and federal trucking laws that could be the difference in making your case successful. Call us today at 757-625-1214. We care about getting you the compensation you deserve.