FMCSA Regulations That Impact Alabama Truck Accidents

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates interstate commercial trucking. The FMCSA regulations govern commercial trucks that drive through Alabama. Alabama has its own regulations, such as weight and height regulations, that regulate truck driving within the state. In some cases, Alabama’s regulations may be stricter than the FMCSA regulations.

At Prince Glover Hayes, we understand what FMCSA regulations apply when truck accidents happen. We work to show that truck drivers and trucking companies violated these regulations – and that the violations contributed to your personal injuries or the death of a loved one.

Key considerations

• Some of the key FMCSA regulations that govern truck safety include:
  • Hours of service requirements
  • Commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs)
  • Truck inspections
  • The proper loading and unloading of cargo
  • Other requirements
• Violations of FMCSA regulations are a common cause of trucking accidents.

How does the FMCSA create and enforce its regulations?

The FMCSA is an agency within the US Department of Transportation. The FMCSA develops regulations and monitors commercial motor vehicles, including more than four million CDLs and half a million trucking companies.

The regulation process includes:

• Obtaining and reviewing nationwide truck and bus safety data.
• Partnering with various stakeholders. These include Federal, State, and local enforcement agencies, the trucking industry, various commercial vehicle safety groups, and organized labor.
• Promoting and obtaining feedback about commercial vehicle safety regulations.
• Finalizing their safety regulations.
• Enforcing their safety regulations through working relationships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
• Developing safety training programs.
• Providing safe, electronic access to a commercial driver’s five-year crash and three-year inspection history.
• Developing and implementing various grant programs.

What are the different types of FMCSA trucking regulations?

Some of the FMCSA regulations that truck drivers, truck owners, employers of truck drivers, and trucking companies involved in any shipment should understand include the following:

• The driver’s qualifications. Drivers who operate commercial motor vehicles requiring a CDL must obtain and keep a current commercial driver’s license. Generally, truck drivers obtain a CDL through their home state, such as Alabama. Drivers can only have a CDL from one state. CDL applicants must also pass a DOT physical and obtain a Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC) from a provider on the National Registry.
• Alcohol and drug testing. CDL applicants and CDL holders can lose their driving privileges if they have a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of .04 or higher, or if they are found to be driving while impaired by drugs. These tests are required for employment in safety-sensitive positions, at random intervals during employment, after certain truck accidents, and if there is a reasonable suspicion of driver intoxication.
• Truck inspections. Trucking carriers must routinely inspect, maintain, and repair their trucks so that the trucks are safe for use. Common safety checks include the tires, brakes, and lights.
• Securing cargo. The FMCSA has regulations that govern the proper loading, securing, and handling of truck cargo. Cargo that shifts during transit can cause a truck driver to lose control of the truck. Cargo that spills out of the truck can cause a nightmare situation for everyone near the truck.
• Trucking company registration. “Companies that operate commercial vehicles transporting passengers or hauling cargo in interstate commerce must be registered with the FMCSA and must have a USDOT Number,” if certain conditions apply. These conditions include driving between two or more states, carrying hazardous materials, and specific weight limits.
• Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) systems. NHTSA and FMCSA have proposed rules that would require AEB systems on many new heavy vehicles, but those heavy-vehicle requirements have not been finalized as a universal 2027 mandate.
• Liability insurance. Trucking companies must have liability insurance coverage, depending on the type of truck, the type of cargo, and other factors.
• Unified Carrier Registration (UCR). Trucking companies that operate across state lines must register with the UCR program and keep in compliance.

Hours of service (HOS) requirements and electronic logging devices (ELDs)

One of the major causes of truck accidents is driver fatigue. Many drivers and trucking companies try to make as many deliveries as possible. More deliveries usually mean more money. Drivers who drive too long without resting can become tired. Tired drivers lack the ability to anticipate and respond to emergencies. Tired drivers may drive too closely, veer into other lanes of travel, and violate other truck safety laws.

The FMCSA has specific Hours of Service Rules. These rules include the following requirements:

• 11-Hour Driving Limit. Truck drivers can drive only up to 11 hours after being off-duty for 10 consecutive hours.
• 14-Hour Limit. Truck drivers can only drive up to 14 hours (or do other on-duty work such as loading and unloading) after being off-duty for 10 consecutive hours. Off-duty time does not extend beyond 14 hours.
• 30-Minute Driving Break. Truck drivers who drive for a cumulative 8 hours must take at least one 30-minute break (which includes any on-duty activity other than driving and any off-duty activity).
• 60/70-Hour Limit. Truck drivers cannot drive after 60/70 hours on duty for 7/8 consecutive days. A driver can restart the 7/8 consecutive day period after taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty.

To help ensure that truck drivers meet their HOS requirements, the FMCSA requires that trucking companies install electronic logging devices and that drivers use these devices. ELDs help show how long a truck is in operation, the truck’s location while in operation, the miles driven, vehicle motion status, engine status, and other information – all of which can be useful in your truck accident case.

Alabama has its own trucking regulations, including dimension and weight limits and inspection requirements.

Generally, Alabama requires that interstate drivers comply with the FMCSA hours of service rules. Truck drivers who drive within the state’s borders must comply with Alabama law – Section 32-9A-6 – Interstate hours of service limitations. This rule limits intrastate driving as follows:

• There is a 12-hour driving limit (within a 15-hour on-duty window) after ten consecutive hours off duty
• There is a 70-hour on-duty limit in seven consecutive days.

Both FMCSA and Alabama have short-haul exceptions. Other exceptions may also apply. Alabama intrastate drivers must keep a record of duty status for the previous seven consecutive days in their possession and available for inspection while on duty.

How do your lawyers use violations of FMCSA regulations for truck accident victims?

Our Tuscaloosa truck accident lawyers work with federal, Alabama, and local officials to verify when the federal or state trucking rules are violated. We then work to show that the violation of the rule contributed to your accident.

We hold both truck drivers and trucking companies accountable for the harm they cause.

Speak with our Alabama truck accident attorneys now

At Prince Glover Hayes, we have 45 years of experience and working relationships with truck safety professionals to show how truck accidents occur and who is responsible. We seek compensation for all your financial and personal damages.

Call us or use our contact form to schedule a free consultation. We’re ready to help you today. Prince Glover Hayes has an office located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and handles truck accident cases statewide.