History Of Michigan's Truck Law

There was a time when the requirements to be a commercial truck driver were nothing more than simply driving a truck. The result was a large number of unsafe and unqualified truck drivers on the road causing a number of truck accidents ending in deaths and serious injuries.

The Federal Highway Administration was formed in the early 1980s, in an effort to curb the unacceptable number of truck accidents in Michigan and throughout the nation. The movement for increased safety of tractor-trailers and other large trucks led the federal government to focus on issues such as truck driver licensing, fatigue, hours of service, unsafe loading and minimum operating requirements, as each of those factors was shown to contribute to preventable truck accidents.

Truckers Ignoring Rules Leads to Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act

Despite these safety rules, truckers were still driving through Michigan and across the country causing preventable truck accidents. Many truck drivers would carry several driver's licenses issued by different states, in order to spread their traffic convictions and avoid license suspensions and revocations. There was little enforcement against unfit and dangerous truckers who caused multiple accidents.    

Semi-truck drivers who ignored the number of hours they were supposed to drive often made more money for getting "hot loads" delivered in the shortest amount of time. Needless to say, these "hot load" drivers were causing many of the most serious truck accidents, speeding, and ignoring hours of service, often pushing beyond the limits of exhaustion and fatigue.

The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act was passed by Congress in 1986, creating laws to deal with problems caused by irresponsible and unqualified truck drivers. For example, laws were enacted to prevent drivers from having more than one license.
By 1992, truck drivers were required to meet minimum national standards in order to operate a big-rig. Once a driver met these standards, he or she was then issued a Commercial Driver's License (CDL).

Michigan Truck Driving Law

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) was established as a separate administration within the U.S. Department of Transportation, pursuant to the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999. Michigan has adopted the FMCSA rules and regulations for its trucking industry, as they are considered the driving force behind the directive of the trucking industry in reducing the number of truck accidents. The rules and regulations set driver requirements for aspects of the job including physical standards, alcohol and drug testing, hours of service, cargo, weight, licensing, inspection, repair and maintenance.

The truck accident lawyers of Michigan Auto Law have helped to enforce important safety regulations to make our roads safer. No other law firm in Michigan has received more jury verdicts or consistently higher settlements for truck accident cases. In fact, the vast majority of our wrongful death and personal injury cases from truck accidents are referred to us by local Michigan attorneys, based upon our record of experience and success.

To request a free, no obligation case evaluation with one of our Michigan truck accident attorneys, please fill out our contact form and we will respond to your inquiry within one business day. Or to speak to an attorney immediately, please call (800) 777-0028.