Federal authorities in December ordered three commercial truck drivers and one trucking company off US interstates. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) called the truckers and trucking company ‘an imminent hazard to public safety.’

The FMCSA stated that one of the truckers is Scotty Kinmon, who is a Kentucky truck driver. He was issued a federal order stating that he cannot drive commercial vehicles for interstate commerce.

Kinmon was driving a big rig on I-74 in Ohio in August when his truck slowed down and started to roll backwards on the highway. The truck eventually jackknifed and crashed, with the driver found unresponsive in the cab. It was determined at the hospital that Kinmon was under the influence of a controlled substance. The crash was only three days after he had been stopped and ticketed for driving under the influence in Ohio.

Another trucker – Dharm Lingam – also was ordered to not drive commercial vehicles on US interstates. Lingam was so ordered because he lost control of his truck in Arizona in September. The trucker hit another truck and killed the driver. FMCSA found that Lingam had a medical condition that disqualified him from driving a commercial rig.

The FMCSA also issued an imminent hazard order to Even Flo Logistics based in Tumwater, Washington, and to Shawn Roberts, a driver for the company. Roadside inspections in several states this year found several safety violations on the company’;s trucks. Roberts’ rigs were placed out of service at a rate 13 times above the national average.

Our View

All commercial tractor trailer drivers must follow state and federal laws about what they can and cannot do. For instance, truck drivers only may drive for so many hours before they must rest. Big rig drivers also have to stick to state and federal rules about the types of medications they use behind the wheel. If there is any evidence that the driver used illegal narcotics or was taking prescription drugs that made them a danger to other drivers, the driver and the company can be ordered to stay off the roads. They also can be held liable for any injuries that result in a tractor trailer collision. Some of the common drugs that some truckers have taken that have caused terrible accidents, in our experience as Virginia personal injury attorneys, include:

• Adderall
• Cocaine
• Heroin
• Methamphetamines
• Oxycodone

Even if the trucker has a valid prescription for the drug, if another person is injured in an accident, the trucker and the company can still be sued for personal injuries. If you are injured due to the negligence of a tractor trailer driver, you could be entitled to a large financial settlement, including lost income, medical costs and pain and suffering.