Drunk driving while behind the wheel of a semi truck is significantly more dangerous than driving a passenger car under the influence of alcohol. Why? Commercial trucks are so much bigger and heavier than other vehicles that a truck crash is much more likely to cause serious injury and death. If drunk driving turns your vehicle into a weapon, drunk trucking involves a much bigger, more powerful weapon.
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Driving under the influence of alcohol when you have a commercial drivers’ license or while driving a commercial motor vehicle can have serious consequences. Let’s take a closer look at Virginia commercial truck drunk driving laws:
- Commercial drivers may be randomly tested by their employer for drugs and alcohol – before, during, and after they have driven a truck.
- To be convicted of a commercial truck DUI, truckers must have a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of 0.04 or higher – half the amount of a passenger vehicle driver BAC.
- Those guilty of a commercial license DUI may face a one-year license suspension for a first offense and a lifetime suspension for the second offense.
- A commercial driver may have his or her commercial drivers’ license suspended after being convicted of driving a non-commercial vehicle under the influence.
- Virginia maintains driving records of all commercial drivers that include all of their driving offenses, including driving offenses committed in non-commercial vehicles.
Have you been involved in a Virginia truck accident that you believe involved a trucker driving under the influence of alcohol? If so, it is important to understand who is responsible for your injuries. It is possible that the trucker is responsible for the crash and that the trucking company is responsible for allowing a driver to drink while on the job.
To learn more about your possible truck accident and injury case, call Shapiro & Appleton& Duffan today. Our Virginia Beach truck accident attorneys can review the evidence of your case and help you understand your legal options. We offer free, confidential consultations.