There are many reasons that people consume alcohol in Louisiana and for the most part there is nothing wrong with doing so. However, there are certain activities that can be very dangerous if people have consumed too much alcohol, one of which is driving their vehicles. People under the influence of alcohol can cause serious accidents and injure many innocent people.

This is why it is especially important that truck drivers do not drive under the influence as truck accidents often times have catastrophic consequences. To protect against this occurring, the rules surrounding alcohol consumption for truck drivers are very strict.

Alcohol Consumption Prohibition

No commercial truck driver can consume any alcohol or be under the influence of alcohol at all at least four hours before they begin driving their truck. They also cannot have any blood alcohol concentration while operating their trucks. This is much more strict than the .08 BAC limit for normal vehicles. Even if the driver appears to be under the influence or appear that they may have consumed alcohol within four hours before driving they cannot drive their truck.

If a truck driver has consumed alcohol or is under the influence in any way they must be placed out-of-service for at least 24 hours from the time of the out-of-service order. They also need to report it to their employer and state officials.

As stated above, truck accidents in Louisiana can be very devastating for the victims. If a truck driver is under the influence and causes an accident, the victims may be entitled to compensation for the damages caused by the truck driver. This compensation can pay for the medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering and other damages the victims suffer as result of the accident. Experienced attorneys understand how devastating these accidents can be and may be a helpful guide.