The commercial vehicle safety regulations set by the Department of Transportation or DOT are a set of rules to ensure the commercial vehicles and their drivers don’t pose a threat to themselves or other drivers. These regulations are quite strict, and adherence is of utmost importance.

If you own a commercial vehicle or a commercial vehicle company and are unsure about how to meet these safety regulations then this is the right article for you. We will discuss these regulations in detail and how to meet them.

How To Meet The Safety Regulations

The driver’s inspection is the first and most important part of the safety regulations guide. The driver’s inspection will be done by an inspector who will check documents like driver’s license, driver’s activity logs, inspection reports, and medical card.

1. Driver

Let’s dive further into how you can ensure your documents are up to date to satisfy the inspector.

Driver’s License

Driving license validity varies from state to state. So depending on which state you got your license from, you will have to make sure that you get your renewal done in time before the license expires. 

Driving with an expired license can cause you to get a ticket worth almost $250, and in some cases, you may also have your license revoked. 

Suppose you own a company that has employed a driver with an expired license. You could have to face some heavy financial penalties and may even have the company's permission to operate commercial vehicles revoked.

Driver’s Activity Logs

These are daily logs that commercial vehicle drivers maintain. These logs indicate how long they've been driving and how much rest time they've been given. You need to ensure that your activity logs are in order and show you have had a rest period.

Drivers need to ensure that they don't exceed the 11-hour limit rule, which states that drivers can only drive for 11 hours in 14 hours. After 14 hours, the driver needs to take an off for 10 consecutive hours. 

Another rule is that drivers can only drive for 60-70 hours in 7 to 8 days. These driving and rest hours need to reflect in your daily logs. This rule is to ensure that drivers are well-rested and alert when driving. If a driver is overworked, their reflexes are slow, and they could fall asleep. 

Inspection Reports

All commercial vehicle drivers are supposed to maintain a daily vehicle inspection report. These reports have details of the inspection done by the driver after they are done with a driving session. The reports should include the condition of the essential components of the vehicle.

What these essential components are will be discussed further along in the article.

Medical Card

The department of transport issues a medical card to commercial vehicle drivers. This card is proof that the driver is physically capable of operating a commercial vehicle and has no health issues that can pose a threat while driving to other motorists.

Driver’s safety regulations are one part of the DOT regulations; the second part is the vehicle inspection. The vehicle is just as important as the driver. You can have an expert driver at the wheel, but if the vehicle isn't performing to its optimum level, then you're at risk of getting into an accident.

2. Vehicle 

When the inspector inspects your vehicle, he will be checking the following components of the vehicle:

The reason for checking these vehicle components is to ensure that the vehicle is in the best condition possible to be driven on the road and won't pose a threat to the driver or other vehicles. 

  • Brakes
  • Lights including; headlights, brake lights, turn signals, and tail lamps
  • Wheels, tires, rims and hubcaps
  • Suspension
  • Clutch
  • Windshield wipers
  • Steering mechanism
  • Frame 
  • Fuel system
  • Exhaust system

For example, if your vehicle's brake pads are worn out, then the inspector would penalize you for this. Driving with worn-out brake pads would increase your chances of getting into an accident.

Similarly, if you have a faulty clutch and you're out on the road, your car can come to an immediate stop. This can be detrimental for you and the other drivers on the road. This is why, placing the best components on your vehicle is recommended. Don't compromise on quality and buy the best clutch for your vehicle.

Another example would be if your lights aren’t functioning properly. Non-functioning lights would reduce visibility drastically, or if the brake lights are out, the vehicles behind you wouldn't know when you stop the vehicle. This could lead to an accident or even a multi-car collision.

Another common problem that may go unnoticed is chips on the windshield. These can occur when vehicles are going at high speeds on the highway. A small pebble or gravel is launched in the air by another car’s wheels and ricochets off your vehicle's windshield. A small chip on the glass will go unnoticed unless you inspect the windshield regularly. 

The Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991 states that drivers of commercial vehicles should be tested for the following drugs:

3. Alcohol and Drug Testing

The testing for these drugs should take place at the following times:

  • Opiates
  • Marijuana
  • PCP
  • Amphetamines and Methamphetamines
  • Alcohol

The safety inspector will also look at reports of these tests to ensure compliance with safety regulations and federal transportation laws.

  • Before employing a commercial vehicle driver
  • After a driver has had an accident
  • If there is reason to suspect that the driver may be on drugs
  • If a driver who was on drugs and after rehabilitation is returning to work
  • Random testing throughout the year

Conclusion

After reading this article, we hope you know exactly what needs to be done to satisfy commercial vehicle safety regulations. It is of utmost importance to follow these rules and regulations to avoid being penalized or avoid jail time and ensure your own safety and the safety of other motorists on the road.