Is truck driver conduct regulated?
Given the distance required to stop a large truck, the limited ability to see other traffic from the cab and the difficulty maneuvering a tractor trailer, the truck driver’s conduct and response to conditions on the road are regulated and taught to drivers across the country. Certain industry wide “countermeasures” have been established and are taught to truck drivers so that they may appropriately respond to various traffic conditions. The focus of the countermeasures is improved safety management, preventive maintenance and defensive driving. The countermeasures address negotiating curves, passing, turning left and right, crossing intersections, using and changing lanes and pedestrian interaction. Whether the appropriate countermeasures were taken by the driver of a truck involved in an accident must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Additional regulations that govern truck drivers are issued by the Office of Motor Carriers within the United States Department of Transportation. T
