A study conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Transportation Safety Board found that out of 168 trucking accidents that were fatal to the driver, traces of one or more drugs were detectable in 67% of the drivers.  Why would a person who drives professionally ever use drugs on the job?

At the McMinn Law Firm, we understand that the answer may lie in the nature of the job itself.  When fatigue sets in after a long trip, a driver might turn to methamphetamine.  When stress arises close to a deadline, a driver might try to alleviate it with marijuana.  There are drivers who actually believe that drugged driving is safer than drunk driving, when in reality drugs can be equally dangerous and have longer lasting effects on behavior.

Exhaustion, pressure, boredom, loneliness—these are the types of excuses that lead truck drivers to abuse drugs like amphetamines, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and even prescription drugs while on the job. 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation, is charged with regulating the trucking industry.  Although the administration has made efforts to increase the safety of the trucking profession, for example by restricting the legal BAC limit of commercial motor vehicle drivers to 0.04, trucking accidents due to drug abuse are still happening at unacceptable rates. 

Making matters worse, trucking companies have been known to be both uncooperative with federal guidelines before accidents occur and untruthful with lawyers and insurance companies after accidents occur.  At the McMinn Law Firm, we are familiar with the strategies used to discredit your case and able to conduct the fair investigation you deserve.  Contacting us immediately after your accident will ensure that we can retrieve the police reports, medical records, and drug abuse evidence before a truck driver’s employer or insurance company does so.  

In addition, despite the fact that regular random drug testing of all truck drivers nationwide has been required by law since the 1980s, studies have shown that these tests are not always properly administered to truck drivers. In a case where it may not have been evident or recorded that drug use was a factor in the accident, developing a case early on can allow our attorneys to request that a driver be given a drug test after the incident. 

A trucking accident involving alcohol or drug abuse can result in a complex case, but while you concentrate on your physical and emotional recovery, the attorneys at the McMinn Law Firm can fight for your rights and compensation.