TRUCK CRASH OR CAR CRASH?
Why Commercial Truck Cases Run on a Different Set of Rules
Key Takeaways
- Car accident cases run entirely on state law and Kentucky tort principles, while truck cases add an entire layer of federal rules enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration covering hours of service, driver qualification, and vehicle maintenance.
- A truck crash can involve a driver, the motor carrier that employed them, the truck’s owner, and the company that loaded the cargo, each of which may carry a separate insurance policy identified through our dedicated trucking team.
- Evidence unique to truck cases, including electronic control module data and driver qualification files, is time-sensitive, and our trucking evidence page explains why that evidence does not exist in a standard car crash case.
How Truck Cases Differ From Car Cases
A truck accident case runs on a different set of rules than a car accident case. Commercial truck crashes bring a federal regulatory layer administered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), multiple potentially liable parties where a car crash typically has one or two, and evidence that can be erased within days if no one asks for it.
Evidence That Only Exists in Truck Cases
None of these categories of evidence exist in a car crash case. The trucking evidence available in commercial crash cases requires a completely different investigative approach, and a completely different legal skill set to use effectively.
Frequently Asked Questions.
How is a truck accident case different from a car accident case?
A truck case adds a federal regulatory layer from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration covering hours of service, driver qualification, and vehicle maintenance, none of which apply to an ordinary car crash governed only by Kentucky state law.
Why does a truck crash often involve more than one liable party?
The entity that employed the driver, the entity that owned the truck, and the company that loaded the cargo can each be separate businesses with separate insurance. Our trucking accident attorneys identify every liable party before any filing deadline passes.
What evidence exists in truck cases that does not exist in car crashes?
Truck cases can involve electronic control module data, driver qualification files, and inspection records that FMCSA requires carriers to maintain. Our trucking evidence resource details how that evidence is preserved.
Why does the timing of evidence preservation matter more in truck cases?
Electronic logging device data, dashcam footage, and inspection records are retained only for periods set by federal trucking regulations, and routine deletion cycles can erase this evidence well before a car-crash-style timeline would matter.
Who regulates commercial trucking safety standards?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets and enforces the federal standards for hours of service, driver qualification, vehicle maintenance, and insurance minimums that apply to commercial trucks but not to passenger cars.
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