Just like everyone else driving any other type of motor vehicle, all commercial tractor-trailer operators are expected to follow the basic rules of the road at all times while driving on public Louisiana streets. However, there are also several additional rules established under both United States federal and Louisiana state law that apply exclusively to truck drivers and trucking companies, all of which those people must know and follow with no exceptions.
If you can prove that a truck driver or trucking company violated truck industry regulations in Baton Rouge immediately prior to getting into a wreck with you, you may be able to hold that driver or company financially liable for your crash-related losses. Speak to a truck accident lawyer from Tomeny | Best, who can explain these regulations in more detail during a free consultation.
How Much Can Trucks Legally Weigh in Louisiana?
Under the regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), no tractor-trailer traveling on interstate highways or crossing state lines on any other road can have a gross vehicle weight rating over 80,000 pounds. Additionally, no truck can be loaded in such a way where more than 20,000 pounds of weight is carried by a single axle or where more than 34,000 is carried by one tandem axle group. A truck’s weight must be distributed equally across all axles and/or axle groups.
Louisiana state law imposes broadly similar regulations on in-state truck traffic around Baton Rouge and elsewhere, but allows single axle weights of 22,000 pounds and tandem axle weights of 37,000 pounds on non-interstate highways. Additionally, trucking companies can apply for overweight permits, which, if granted by state authorities, allow them to slightly exceed the standard weight limits for a single truck’s trip along a pre-approved route.
Driving Time Restrictions for Commercial Truck Drivers
The FMCSA also imposes industry-wide regulations on how long truck drivers can stay on the road within certain periods of time while driving around Baton Rouge or anywhere else on the road. Some of the most significant of these restrictions include:
- No more than 11 hours of driving in one day, reset by at least 10 consecutive hours off-duty
- No driving more than 14 hours after initially going on duty in one day, reset by at least 10 consecutive hours off-duty
- Minimum 30-minute break after eight consecutive hours of driving
- No more than 60 total hours on duty within any consecutive seven-day period, reset by at least 34 consecutive hours off-duty
- No more than 70 total hours on duty within any consecutive eight-day period, reset by at least 34 consecutive hours off-duty
These rules are meant to reduce the risk of overly fatigued truck drivers acting in unsafe ways around other traffic.
Learn More About Truck Industry Regulations From a Baton Rouge Attorney
These are just some of the various truck industry regulations that affect truck drivers in Baton Rouge, throughout Louisiana, and all across the United States. No matter what form it takes, though, any illegal activity by a truck driver or trucking company that contributes to causing a wreck could potentially be the basis for a civil lawsuit, if that wreck led to you suffering any kind of serious physical harm.
A qualified truck accident lawyer from Tomeny | Best can help you establish whether your rights were violated by a trucker’s unlawful actions and, if so, what you can do to hold them financially accountable for their misconduct. Call today to learn more.
