Most commercial truck drivers take their jobs very seriously and comply with all traffic laws and regulations set out by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) whenever possible. However, some truck drivers and trucking companies violate the law in many ways and put all other motorists and pedestrians at risk for serious injury. When violations are particularly severe, the FMCSA will declare that a certain driver or company presents an “imminent hazard to public safety” and will prohibit them from driving a truck or operating in the trucking industry in the future. Federal regulations1 state that a person or company is an imminent hazard when its continued operation would “substantially increase” the risk of death or serious injury.
Connecticut Driver Recently Declared to be a Hazard
Toward the end of 2016, the FMCSA announced that a Connecticut commercial truck driver has been declared as an imminent hazard2 and has been ordered to stop driving any commercial vehicles. The driver’s truck had rolled over on the highway and an investigation determined the following occurred:
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The driver had been drinking alcohol; and
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The driver had set the truck’s cruise control at 63 miles per hour so that he could stand up in the moving truck to change his pants.
The driver lost his ability to earn a living as a commercial driver so the public could be protected from his highly dangerous behaviors behind the wheel. There may also be criminal charges and civil penalties for the violations of law.
Once the FMCSA issues this type of order, a driver risks criminal charges and fines of up to $3,100 for each time they violate the order by driving a commercial truck. The government provides a database3 to the public of both truck drivers and trucking companies who have been named as serious hazards and banned from operating in the industry.
Contact a Hartford, CT Truck Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you have been in a truck crash, the experienced Hartford truck accident attorneys at Leighton, Katz & Drapeau are here to help. Call our office today at 860-875-7000 for more information.
1https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/386.72
3https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/safer-out-of-service-orders-fmcsa-out-of-service-orders
