With driving a truck comes great responsibility. Depending on where you are operating this vehicle – in Phoenix, Arizona or elsewhere across the country – there are different state laws that regulate how truck drivers must behave on the roads, highways, and freeways.
While truck drivers are required to abide by the general traffic laws – the same that exist for drivers of ordinary cars – there are also certain additional laws for drivers of semi trucks and large trucks.
And today, our Phoenix truck accident attorney from Lorona Mead is going to outline some key state laws that apply to truck drivers and trucking companies in Arizona. These laws exist to keep the roads of Arizona safer and protect car drivers and pedestrians alike from devastating, and often, deadly collisions with trucks.
Special traffic laws for trucks in Arizona
Fact: Each year, more than 2,600 truck accidents take place in Arizona alone, leaving nearly 600 people injured and other about 50 dead.
The main idea of these additional truck accident laws in Arizona is to ensure that truck drivers are traveling at safe speeds, carry an adequate amount of cargo load, and their trucks are well maintained.
A truck driver’s failure to abide by the following traffic rules for trucks will give an injured motorist a right to file a personal injury claim against the driver, his/her trucking company, and potentially other parties, to recover damages.
Speed limit below 65 miles per hour
Under Arizona’s ARS 28-709 law, drivers of large commercial semi trucks are required to drive at a speed below 65 miles per hour when on the roadway. Many truck drivers in Phoenix and elsewhere in Arizona have a problem with following this rule largely because they are either too eager to get to their destination faster and get paid sooner or they simply forget about the speed limit and keep up with the flow of traffic.
“It is usually the former,” says our experienced truck accident attorney in Phoenix. “For most truck drivers in Arizona, the faster they arrive to their destination and deliver the cargo, the sooner they will get paid by their trucking company or employer.”
Legal limits on trailer length in Arizona
Another law – ARS 28-1095 – prohibits semi truck drivers from operating a semi trailer that is longer than 28 feet and six inches in length. “Wait, how is that possible? I have seen trucks that are much longer than that in Arizona!” you may be thinking. Well, that means that the truck driver was either breaking the law or his/her truck was pulling two trailers at a time, which is not illegal even though the total length of the two trailers will be much longer than 28 feet and six inches in length.
It is not uncommon, however, for truck drivers to be pulling a trailer with the length way above the legal limit. Operating a trailer that is longer than the legal allowable limit increases the risk of a truck accident.
Splash guards in trucks
You may be surprised how many trucks are breaking the following law. Turns out, there is a law in Arizona – ARS 28-958.01 – that requires semi trucks to be equipped with splash guards, which minimize the risk of rocks, gravel, water, and other debris or unsecured cargo falling on the vehicles following the truck. Debris from cargo is a major cause of truck accidents not only in Arizona, but also all across the nation.
There are also numerous federal trucking regulations that exist to ensure the safety of motorists, pedestrians, and truck drivers. If you have been injured in a truck crash, do not hesitate to consult with a Phoenix truck accident attorney from Lorona Mead. Get a free consultation by calling our offices at 602-385-6825 or fill out this contact form.
