Nevada State and Federal Trucking Regulations

In the U.S., both the federal and state governments have a role in regulating trucking. Both bodies can pass safety regulations that can apply to localities such as Las Vegas, Nevada.

The federal government issues regulations that create uniform standards for truckers while facilitating interstate trucking, while state governments can pass additional regulations so long as they don’t interfere with interstate commerce. State trucking laws usually cover traffic rules, oversize loads, and trucking on state or local roads.

Find out more about Nevada state and federal trucking regulations and how a violation of trucking laws can affect your injury claim after a truck accident.

Contact us at (702) 570-9000 to schedule a free consultation with a top-rated truck accident lawyer at Battle Born Injury Lawyers.

How Battle Born Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Truck Accident in Las Vegas

How Battle Born Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Truck Accident in Las Vegas

Battle Born Injury Lawyers has recovered over $100 million in injury compensation for accident victims since its founding in 2010. The firm’s lawyers have over 85 years of combined experience representing injured clients throughout Nevada and have earned many honors and recognitions from clients and peers, including:

  • An AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell based on peer reviews
  • A Client’s Choice Award in 2014 from Avvo based on client reviews
  • A 10.0 Superb rating from Avvo based on legal experience and background

An experienced Las Vegas truck accident attorney at our law firm can assist you by:

  • Handling all of the paperwork, negotiations, and communications related to your case on your behalf
  • Hiring experts and internally investigating your case to maximize your compensation claim
  • Bringing your case to trial if need be

Truck accidents often cause catastrophic injuries due to the massive weight of a semi-truck and trailer. Contact Battle Born Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your case with a trusted truck accident attorney in Las Vegas, NV.

Truck Accident Statistics in Las Vegas, Nevada

The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) provides a crash data map covering traffic accidents from 2016 through 2020. All of the following statistics come from this source.

Clark County had over 154,000 traffic accidents between 2016 and 2020. Of these, 1,904 involved at least one semi-truck and left 19 dead and 736 injured.

This means that Las Vegas averaged about 382 truck accidents each of those years. These accidents resulted in 147 injuries and four fatalities annually.

Semi-trucks represent 1% of registered vehicles in Nevada and about 1.2% of accidents in Las Vegas. Likewise, 0.9% of traffic injuries in Las Vegas come from truck accidents. Thus, truck accidents happen about as frequently as expected and cause roughly the expected number of injuries.

However, nearly 2.2% of traffic deaths in the Las Vegas valley come from truck accidents, which means semi-trucks cause twice as many fatalities as they should based on their share of Nevada’s registered vehicles.

Overview of Nevada State and Federal Trucking Regulations

Both the U.S. and Nevada governments regulate truck safety, but the U.S. Constitution gives exclusive jurisdiction over interstate commerce to the federal government.

Nevada only regulates trucking matters within the state’s borders, while the federal government regulates matters involving state-to-state or country-to-country trucking matters.

Federal Trucking Regulations

All trucks in Nevada comply with federal regulations so they can travel to and from other states without refitting their equipment. Examples of federal trucking regulations include:

Hours of Service

Federal regulations determine how many hours a truck driver can work. They also mandate the duration and frequency of rest breaks. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires trucking companies to use electronic logging devices (ELDs) to electronically track hours of service.

These regulations are meant to reduce fatigued driving accidents, but many companies and drivers game the system so they can work longer hours than legally allowed. When they do this, the trucking company may bear liability for any accidents that occur.

Maximum Weight

The federal government limits semi-trucks to 80,000 pounds gross weight for the truck and trailer. A truck can only exceed the maximum weight with an oversize load permit from NDOT. If a trucking company sends an overweight load across Nevada roads without a permit, it could be liable for accidents.

Equipment Inspections

Licensed trucking companies undergo both regular and random inspections of their equipment. If a company’s equipment fails an inspection, the FMCSA can suspend the company’s license.

Regardless of whether companies fail inspections, they must take reasonable measures to ensure the safety of their equipment or face liability for equipment-related accidents.

Driver Testing

Holders of Nevada commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) must undergo periodic medical and drug tests according to federal regulations. When a company allows drivers to operate a truck without the physical ability to do so, it bears responsibility for any damage the driver causes.

Nevada Trucking Regulations

While in Nevada, truckers must comply with local regulations governing local matters. Some areas where Nevada regulations apply include:

CDLs

Nevada administers the CDL process, which combines federal regulations with state-specific rules.

Oversize Permits

When a trucking company needs to send a load exceeding federal gross weight limits, it must obtain an oversized load permit from NDOT.

Traffic Laws

Drivers in Nevada must follow all Nevada traffic laws, even if they’re different from the laws of their home state.

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Las Vegas Truck Accident Lawyers

Even when trucking companies comply with federal and state regulations, careless driving can still lead to a truck accident. To discuss the compensation you can seek after a truck accident, contact Battle Born Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.