Driving under the influence of drugs is dangerous, but it is infinitely more so when the driver is hauling up to 80,000 pounds. Federal rules mandate drug and alcohol testing, but this may not prevent crashes from occurring in the first place.
If you were injured in a truck crash involving a drugged driver, you may have legal options for pursuing compensation for the losses you sustained. A truck wreck attorney from our law firm can help.
Truck Driver Regulations Related to Drug Use
In an effort to prevent drugged truck accidents, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) implemented regulations for truck drivers related to drug and alcohol abuse. Truck drivers are subject to drug and alcohol testing, including:
- Before being hired
- At random
- After accidents
- Upon reasonable suspicion
- When returning to duty after a positive test result
Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring these tests.
How Drug Use Leads to Trucking Accidents
Drugs have a significant impact on a person’s ability to drive safely. Taking drugs can lead to catastrophic injuries and fatalities. Some of the potential effects drugs can have on a truck driver include the following:
Slowed Reaction Times
Drugs can drastically impair a driver’s reaction times. Drugs such as cocaine, opioids, and marijuana can decrease a driver’s response time by up to 50%. Due to their size and weight, trucks already require longer stopping distances, so additional reaction time can lead to serious accidents.
Impaired Vision
Drugs can also impair a driver’s vision. This can prevent a truck driver from recognizing a hazard, leading to a collision.
Impaired Judgment
Drugs are known to impair users’ judgment. When behind the wheel of a massive vehicle, a driver can make reckless decisions, such as running red lights or stop signs, weaving in and out of lanes, speeding, and running other drivers off the road.
Decreased Focus and Awareness
Drugs can lead to driver distraction. They can cause a driver to lose focus and awareness on the road. Drivers can fail to recognize hazards, increasing the possibility of an accident.
How a Truck Driver Lawyer Can Help After a Drugged Driving Crash
If you were injured in an accident you suspect was caused by a drug driver, contacting an experienced truck accident attorney is essential. Truck accident lawyers can identify, gather, and preserve valuable evidence that shows the connection between the driver’s substance abuse and the crash that injured you. Experienced lawyers can obtain trucking logs, medical records, and drug testing results to make these evidentiary connections.
Truck accident lawyers can also identify all parties responsible for your injuries, which may include the trucking companies that hired them. They can prepare your personal injury claim, demanding fair compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages you sustained.
Contact Our Truck Accident Lawyers for Legal Advice and Assistance
If you were injured in an accident caused by a truck driver’s drug use, Dulin McQuinn Young can help. We understand the complexities of these cases and how to hold reckless drivers and trucking companies responsible. Call us today for your free consultation.