Washington Police Crack Down on Impaired Truckers

Washington State Patrol troopers say that a recent rash of intoxicated truck drivers hauling heavy loads down Washington highways has them stepping up efforts to get impaired truckers off the road. One truck driver was hauling a 140,000 pound load (limit is 80,000 pounds) and hisbreath test registered over .08 , which is more than double the legal limit for truckers. Another trucker had a small operational meth lab in the back of his cab.

49 CFR 392.3 provides that: “No driver shall operate a motor vehicle, and a commercial motor carrier shall not require or permit a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle, while the driver’s ability or alertness is so impaired, or so likely to become impaired, through fatigue, illness, or any other cause, as to make it unsafe for him/her to begin or continue to operate the commercial motor vehicle. However, in a case of grave emergency where the hazard to occupants of the commercial motor vehicle or other users of the highway would be increased by compliance with this section, the driver may continue to operate the commercial motor vehicle to the nearest place at which that hazard is removed. “

49 CFR 392.5 requires: “(a) No driver shall–(a)(1) Use alcohol, as defined in 382.107 of this subchapter, or be under the influence of alcohol, within 4 hours before going on duty or operating, or having physical control of, a commercial motor vehicle….”

49 CFR 391.15 provides that, “A truck driver is automatically disqualified if caught driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, with a blood alcohol score of 0.04 gr/%, and cannot consume any alcohol within four hours before driving.”

The Shigley Law Firm  represents plaintiffs in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases statewide in Georgia, and in other states subject to the multijurisdictional practice and pro hac vice rules in each state. Ken Shigley was designated as a “SuperLawyer” in Atlanta Magazine and one of the “Legal Elite” in Georgia Trend Magazine. He is a Certified Civil Trial Advocate of the National Board of Trial Advocacy, Chair of the Southeastern Motor Carrier Liability Institute and former chair of the Georgia Insurance Law Institute. He particularly focuses on cases arising from truck wrecks and accidents (tractor trailers truck wrecks, semi truck wrecks,18 wheeler truck wrecks, big rig truck wrecks, log truck wrecks, dump truck wrecks.