Trucks are an integral part of commerce in Pennsylvania. Trucks are used to move many different goods and products into the state for consumers to purchase and out of the state from companies who produce the products for sale in other states. To be able to transport the quantities needed, these trucks are very large especially compared to the other vehicles on the roads. This means that when they are in truck accidents, usually the other vehicles involved suffer the worse of the accident and can have catastrophic injuries as a result.
That is also why truck drivers and truck companies are held to higher standards than other drivers on the road. In previous posts, we have discussed that there are stricter limitations on alcohol consumption and protecting against driver fatigue, but there are also physical requirements that drivers must meet before being allowed to drive a truck. These are designed to ensure that the drivers are physically able to control the trucks safely.
They must have no lost limbs and must not have injuries to their feet, arms, hands or fingers which prevent them from gripping and performing the other physical tasks associated with operating a truck. In addition to that, they must also not have diabetes with a requirement for insulin or a heart condition. They also cannot have respiratory issues, high blood pressure, arthritis, epilepsy or a mental condition, which interfere with their ability to drive a truck.
There are many regulations and requirements for truck drivers in Pennsylvania. It is important that they follow the rules in order to prevent accidents. However, not every driver follows the rules and accidents occur as a result. If they do cause an accident, they may be required to compensate the victims of the accident for their medical bills, lost earnings and other damages. It is important that the victims receive this compensation and experienced attorneys may be able to help ensure that occurs.
Source: www.ecfr.gov, “Title 49 § 391.41” accessed on Dec. 19, 2017