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Free Consultation: 800-937-8443
Truck on freeway
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, or FMSCA, is responsible for overseeing the use of commercial vehicles throughout Kentucky and the rest of the United States. They set regulations and guidelines for vehicle maintenance, driver behavior, and overall safety.

Types of Regulations

There are a lot of different regulations overseen by the FMSCA, all of which are intended to make sure commercial drivers on America’s roadways are as safe as possible. This includes how vehicles need to be maintained, and the training that maintenance staff must have. Without these regulations, trucking companies could ignore necessary safety maintenance and numerous unsafe trucks would be on the road.

Many regulations involve driver behavior. For example, drivers cannot drive for more than 11 hours before they have to stop for at least 10 hours off duty. There are similar restrictions on how often a driver has to take a break, and how many total hours in a six- or seven-day period a driver can be on duty before having to take an extended break for a few days.

Punitive Actions for Violations

Most punitive actions taken by the FMSCA are in the form of civil actions against trucking companies or drivers. In other words, they can use fines and penalty fees to make companies pay fairly large amounts of money, depending on the nature of a violation. The FMSCA can also require additional testing for drivers, and not allow someone who fails a test to legally operate as a commercial driver.

Complaints can be filed with the FMSCA by employees or other individuals who suspect inappropriate activity by a company or driver. The administration can then investigate the complaint and take any action appropriate. These kinds of complaints and penalties can strengthen a private civil case against a company. If there is a documented history of violating regulations, then this can demonstrate negligence by the company or driver.

If you or someone you know has been in an accident with a commercial truck, then you deserve compensation for your pain, suffering, and property loss. Call us at Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, today at (502) 458-5555 to discuss your case and talk about your options for compensation.

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