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Trucking Injury FAQ

Can a DUI Lead to a CDL Suspension?

If a Trucker Was Drunk Drinking, Will They Lose Their License?

Driving under the influence is a major violation of Federal Motor Carrier Safety regulations. In fact, the standards for commercial drivers are stricter than for other motorists. While most motorists can be found guilty of drunk driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08%, a truck driver can be found guilty with a BAC of only 0.04%.

The first offense for DUI causes a truck driver to lose their commercial driver's license (CDL) for a year. If they were impaired while driving a truck transporting hazardous materials, the trucker will be disqualified from driving for three years. For a second conviction of driving while under the influence, it will result in a lifetime disqualification.

Commercial driving privileges can also be lost for one year for the following offenses:

  • Refusing to submit to a chemical test (ex: a DUI blood test).
  • Leaving the scene of an accident causing property damage and/or injury.
  • Driving a personal or commercial motor vehicle while impaired by drugs.
  • Any felony committed with a personal or commercial motor vehicle.
  • Operating a commercial motor vehicle with a revoked, suspended, or canceled CDL.

Understanding Federal Trucking Regulations

Federal trucking regulations are put in place to keep motorists safe. They outline rules on everything from the height and weight of a vehicle to the number of hours a trucker is permitted to drive. Learn more here.

While laws vary, once a commercial driver has been convicted of driving under the influence, they will not be permitted to obtain a hardship license that allows them to drive a commercial motor vehicle.

They may be eligible to receive a hardship license for non-commercial purposes, such as driving a passenger vehicle to school and medical appointments. To requalify for their commercial driver's license after the length of their disqualification has passed, a driver will need to pass the CDL knowledge and skills test and pay the appropriate re-qualification fee. For the hazardous materials endorsement, they will need to pass a separate test.

If you were in an accident in which a truck driver was cited for alcohol or drugs, you may have a legal right to seek compensation from the truck driver and the trucking company that employed him or her.

Learn more about your legal rights by contacting us for a free review of your case. Give us a call at (888) 493-1629!

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  • $8 Billion Top 3 Largest Jury Verdict in U.S. History Arnold & Itkin tried a case against Johnson & Johnson for failing to warn about a drug’s most damaging side effects: gynecomastia. Our skill, hard work, and dedication resulted in the third-largest jury verdict ever obtained for an individual ...
  • $357 Million Largest Workplace Accident Settlement in Texas history Arnold & Itkin LLP secured a massive nine-figure settlement against a transnational corporation for a workplace incident. The settlement set a Texas record for being the largest personal injury settlement in the state’s history.
  • $222 Million Record-Breaking Verdict for Widow Our firm won $222 million for a woman who lost her husband in an industrial accident caused by a faulty valve. We took the case to trial because the at-fault company refused to take responsibility. The jury saw through the corporate lies and double ...
  • $205 Million Confidential Settlement Obtained for Numerous Clients Arnold & Itkin reached a record $205,000,000 settlement on behalf of clients after several years of hard-fought litigation. The case settled just before trial was set to begin.
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  • $171 Million One of the Largest Confidential Settlements in History Arnold & Itkin worked over the course of several years to represent clients in a case that many other law firms turned down. In the end, we were able to obtain a record-setting confidential settlement.
  • $139 Million Massive Settlement Achieved for Victims of an Oilfield Incident Arnold & Itkin LLP negotiated a huge $139,000,000 settlement for injured families affected by an oilfield incident in the eastern United States, settling one week before trial.
  • $125 Million Settlement Won for Widow of Dredge Worker Offshore lawyers at Arnold & Itkin LLP won a nine-figure settlement for a woman who lost her husband in a pipeline explosion. By pushing the case toward trial, our firm pressured the defendant into settling with our client, allowing her to rebuild ...
  • $117 Million Largest Single-Event Personal Injury Verdict in Louisiana History Arnold & Itkin represented a pregnant woman who experienced stomach pain and called Acadian Ambulance. The driver of the ambulance drove the ambulance into the back of a sugar cane truck causing the plaintiff's spine to be severed at T4 and for her ...
  • $116 Million Confidential Settlement Arnold & Itkin LLP negotiated a massive nine figure settlement on behalf of their clients after several years of hard fought litigation.
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