Federal Laws for Truck Driving on Illinois Interstate Roads

Truck drivers who operate their vehicles on federal roads, which most do, must comply with the various safety provisions of The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), as well as the rules of the United States Department of Transportation. All truck drivers must also comply the Illinois traffic rules.

Some of the common rules that truck drivers must obey, and the shipping companies that employ the drivers need to monitor, are:

• Commercial driver's license (CDL). Drivers of commercial vehicles must have a valid commercial driver’s license. A CDL issued in one state is valid for transportation in the other US states. Commercial vehicles include extremely large or heavy vehicles, vehicles that carry hazardous waste, and vehicles that transport 9 or more passengers for compensation or 16 or more if no compensation is involved. The aim of a CDL is to make sure the driver has the skills and training to operate these extremely dangerous vehicles. Commercial drivers have a tougher blood alcohol content (BAC) limit than other auto drivers.
• Maintenance, inspection, and repair records. Trucking companies must make sure their trucks are safe because accidents often cause deadly or serious injuries. Truck companies need to regularly inspect their vehicles, including complying with an exhaustive list of requirements such as checking the alternator, engine belts, oil, lights, mirrors, and other truck parts. If repairs are needed, the trucks should be kept off the road until the repairs are performed. The truck drivers also must conduct regular inspections while they are making their deliveries.
• Regulations that govern hours of service. To make sure that drivers are not too tired, federal law regulates the hours that a truck driver can be on the road. Drivers carrying property can drive only up to 11 hours if they have been off for 10 consecutive hours. Other rules regulate how often the driver can drive during a 7 or 8 consecutive day period, what rest breaks are required, and the limits for drivers that transport passengers.

There are also rules that require that drivers keep logs on the amount of time they drive, the maximum weight loads they can carry, and rules about texting while driving and other driver distractions. Truck companies, in addition to making sure their drivers have a valid CDL for the specific type of vehicle they are driving, must also keep records of any driver violations and request those records before a new driver is hired.

Additionally, both federal and state laws govern how much accident insurance is required.

Talk to an experienced Chicago truck accident litigator as soon as you can

The Chicago truck accident lawyers at Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers understand the federal and state laws that truck drivers must meet. When truck accidents happen, our lawyers use violations of these rules to help prove the truck driver and trucking company were responsible. If you were injured or a loved one was killed in a truck accident, please call 312-600-9585 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.