What is Truck Driver Impairment?

In 2015 in the state of North Carolina, a total of 11,487 motor vehicle accidents involved a driver who was intoxicated. A total of 415 of the accidents with impaired drivers caused fatalities and 8,244 of the accidents caused injuries, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Some of these collisions involved a drunk driver who was operating a truck, rather than a car, at the time of a crash.

Truck drivers who operate large trucks and other commercial vehicles are subject to very strict rules when it comes to driver impairment. Not only are truckers subject to lower blood alcohol concentration limits by law, but truck drivers are also at risk of losing a commercial license as a result of impaired driving.

Despite the strict rules and the serious potential penalties associated with a DUI for a commercial license holder, there are some truck drivers who continue to drive while impaired by alcohol. There are also others who consume prescription or non-prescription medications while driving.

If these truckers cause an accident to occur, the collision victim should be able to easily obtain compensation for losses by proving that the trucker caused the accident due to being drunk.

A victim of a drunk driving collision involving a trucker may also be able to pursue a case not just against the driver, but also against the company employing the trucker. A North Carolina  truck accident attorney can provide help in identifying all potential defendants who could be held liable for any harm you endured due to an impaired driving truck accident