Truck drivers are held to stricter standards than non-commercial drivers, and that includes a lower legal limit for blood alcohol content (BAC). When a drunk or drugged truck driver causes an accident, you might expect that liability would fall solely on the truck driver, but that is not always the case. In many cases, the trucking company that the driver was working for can also be held liable for your truck accident injuries.
Trucking Company Responsibility in Drunk and Drugged Driver Accidents
Employers can often be held responsible for the harm caused by their employees while on the job. Like truck drivers, trucking companies must adhere to state and federal trucking regulations. You may be able to recover compensation from the trucking company for many reasons.
Trucking companies are notorious for imposing unrealistic schedules on their drivers. This can lead to drunk or drugged driving accidents in a number of ways. Some drivers turn to stimulants to fight fatigue. A driver who is called in to work during their time off may have too much alcohol in their system or may still be under the influence of prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.
Trucking companies have a responsibility to properly screen and monitor employees. The trucking company can be held liable for hiring a driver with a history of drunk or drugged driving violations, for allowing a driver to continue drive after failing drug screening, or for allowing a driver to get behind the wheel if they know the driver has reported to work impaired. That includes hungover. The legal limit for a truck driver is .04, half the limit for a non-commercial driver.
If you have been hurt by a drunk or drugged truck driver in Georgia, please call Robbins Law, PC, at 800-772-5555 or email us today to learn more about your rights.