An 18 wheeler ran off the road, taking out a guardrail and overturning spilling diesel fuel and requiring a haz mat team help with cleanup. The truck driver fell asleep at the wheel and caused the wreck.
While firefighters were able to clean up the fuel spill, at least 3 other car accidents were attributed to wreckage from the 18 wheeler.
Part of Interstate 10 was closed for 12 hours as a result of the truck wreck.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations have very specific limitations in which a commercial driver can be on duty or driving a tractor- trailer. The hours of service rules provide a truck driver may drive a maximum of 11 hours after having at least 10 hours off duty. Further, a commercial driver subject to the FMCSR may not driver past the 14th hour after coming on duty, following 10 hours off duty.
The trucker driving limitation rules were enacted to protect the public from fatigued or inattentive truck drivers who have been on the job or behind the wheel to long to be effective driving safely.
Texas has adopted the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and a violation of such is often a sliver bullet in a wrongful death case or a Texas truck accident injury lawsuit.
If you have been involved in an accident because of a commercial truck driver, call the Houston truck accident lawyers at the Baumgartner Law Firm.
