What Is a Commercial Motor Vehicle?
Not every large vehicle on the road is the same under the law. A commercial motor vehicle (CMV) is broadly defined as any self-propelled or towed motor vehicle used in commerce that weighs 10,001 pounds or more, which is designed to carry 16 or more passengers, or transports hazardous materials. This includes 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, tanker trucks, flatbeds, box trucks, passenger buses, and large utility vehicles. Because of their size and weight, commercial motor vehicles are subject to strict federal and state safety regulations — and when those safety rules are broken, the results are often catastrophic.
Common Causes of CMV Collisions
Commercial motor vehicle crashes are rarely accidents in the true sense. They are almost always the result of human or institutional negligence. Common causes include:
• Driver fatigue from hours-of-service violations
• Distracted driving, including use of cell phones and in-cab devices
• Improper vehicle maintenance, including brake and tire failures
• Overloaded or improperly secured cargo
• Speeding or reckless driving to meet delivery deadlines
• Inadequate driver training or hiring of unqualified operators
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Trucking companies and their drivers share responsibility for the roads. When they cut corners, innocent people suffer.
The Sobering Reality: Deaths and Serious Injuries
The numbers are staggering. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), large trucks and buses are involved in approximately 5,000 fatal crashes every year across the United States. Tens of thousands more victims survive CMV collisions but are left with catastrophic injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, amputations, and permanent disability. In Oklahoma alone, hundreds of CMV-related crashes occur each year on our interstates and rural highways, leaving families forever changed.
Behind every statistic is a person — a parent, a child, a spouse — whose life was altered in an instant because a trucking company failed to do its job safely.
Why CMV Cases Are Different
Commercial truck crash cases are significantly more complex than typical car wreck claims. The sheer size and weight of a commercial motor vehicle often times introduces forces much greater than those forces passenger vehicles create in a crash. Further, multiple parties may be liable — the driver, the trucking company, a maintenance contractor, or a cargo loader. Federal regulations govern nearly every aspect of CMV operation, and violations of those regulations can be powerful evidence of negligence. Evidence like electronic logs, maintenance records, and black box data is time-sensitive and can be lost or destroyed quickly if legal action is not taken promptly.
Has someone you love been hurt or killed in a crash involving a commercial truck or bus? Time matters. Contact Bison Law Firm today at (405) 407-0111 or visit BisonLawFirm.com for a free consultation. We fight for Oklahoma families — and we do not get paid unless you do.