It may be easy for you and others in Georgia to view driving a semi-truck or tractor-trailer as a lifestyle other than hat it truly is: a profession. This may be the reason why so many of those that come to see us here at Sams, Larkin & Huff, LLP following a truck accident are so quick to assign all of the blame to the driver. Truckers face many of the same professional pressures that you do, including the pressure to perform. If such pressure is being applied by a motor carrier, you might be right in asking whether or not it too might be liable if and when an accident occurs.
Like you, truck drivers may push themselves (and their vehicles) to and sometimes even beyond their limits in order to please their employers. While you (and them) may simply be trying to be the best employee you can be, oftentimes such exertion can be due to employers requiring it. Indeed, when researching the various factors that cause truck accidents, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that drivers often cited work pressure from their employers as a reason why they operated their vehicles in a manner that led to accidents.
More often than not, the pressure for truckers to perform is manifested in truckers speeding while trying to complete a route. Per Section 392.6 of the Code of Federal Regulations, it is unlawful for a motor carrier to set route times between destinations that might pressure drivers to drive at speeds in excess of what is permitted by law in order to complete them. Establishing such an expectation could open carriers up to liability claims.
You can learn more about liability issues related to truck accidents by continuing to explore our site.