When a truck accident takes place, the finger is often pointed at the driver of the truck for causing the accident. This may often be warranted, but sometimes it is the fault of the trucking company that employs the driver who will be at fault. The trucking company must ensure that their drivers adhere to and comply with the safety regulations. While the driver has the responsibility to do this, the lorry company itself also must comply, according to Houston 18 wheeler accident lawyer Greg Baumgartner.
The company must supervise their driver by regularly reviewing the logbooks filed by the driver to ensure the driver is qualified to be driving the lorry and not driving outside the hours of service regulations. Since truck drivers are limited in the number of hours that they can drive per day, it is important for the lorry company to ensure the drivers are not going beyond these limits.
At the end of each day, the driver of the lorry must fill out a driver’s daily vehicle inspection report listing every defect on the lorry that they drove. The company must then look at the results of this daily report and ensure there are no defects when the truck goes back into service.
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When Trucking Companies Encourage Unsafe Practices
Section 390.13 says that “no person shall aid, abet, encourage, or require a motor carrier or its employees to violate the rules.” You will likely see this included in truck accident litigation documents when the company allows a driver to violate the hours of service regulations, as they need a load delivered. Another common unsafe practice that is exhibited is when a truck or trailer was in a dangerous condition, and the lorry company knew about it, and allowed it to return to the highway without the lorry being adequately repaired.
It can be hard to immediately see any trucking company violations, especially when the collision has just taken place. This is only uncovered when an independent investigation has taken place, and this will focus on looking at any falsified logbooks, driver’s qualifications, the condition of the tractor and trailer.The lorry company will often take measures to cover up these infractions. This is why you need to enlist the help of the best trucking accident attorneys. We’d recommend you call Attorney Greg Baumgartner for a personal consultation today.
For more information, check out https://www.texas-truckaccidentlawyer.com/blog/when-trucking-companies-drop-the-ball-on-safety/.