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Quick answer: Federal trucking rules cover driving hours, driver qualifications, testing, vehicle upkeep, cargo, and other safety duties. The rules that apply after a Texas crash depend on the truck, its load, and the trip. A rule violation can be important evidence, but it must be tied to what caused the collision. The first step is to identify the carrier and preserve the records that may disappear.
When I review a serious truck case, I ask what the driver was doing before impact, what the company knew, and which safety rules applied to that trip. Those answers are usually in several places: the truck, the driver’s records, the company’s files, and the crash scene.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations generally govern covered commercial vehicles in interstate commerce. Texas also has rules for trucks that operate only within the state, and some details differ. A truck can be on a Texas road without being on a Texas-only trip; where the shipment began and was going may matter. The Texas Department of Public Safety provides state commercial vehicle rules. Our guide to interstate and intrastate truck operations explains why the distinction matters after a wreck.
The word “commercial” does not settle every question. Some safety rules cover vehicles that do not require a commercial driver’s license, or CDL. Passenger carriers and hazardous-material loads may have different requirements. Check the vehicle, use, and any exceptions before calling a regulation a violation.
For a covered interstate driver hauling property, federal limits usually allow up to 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty. The driver generally cannot drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after starting duty. A 30-minute break is required after eight cumulative hours of driving without a qualifying break. There are also 60- or 70-hour limits over seven or eight consecutive days. FMCSA’s hours-of-service summary explains the rules and exceptions.
A log that appears compliant does not prove a driver was alert. It also does not rule out schedule pressure, poor sleep, or time spent working before a shift. In a serious crash, I would compare the duty record with fuel receipts, toll data, delivery records, dispatch messages, and the route.
Most drivers who must keep federal hours-of-service records use an electronic logging device, or ELD. Short-haul drivers and some others are exempt. An ELD mainly records duty status and driving time; it is not the same thing as a crash recorder or a fleet GPS system. See FMCSA’s ELD guidance.
A truck may have several electronic systems. Depending on its equipment, engine and vehicle modules, cameras, and fleet telematics may provide speed, braking, location, or event information. Our guide to black box data after a Texas truck wreck explains what these records may show and why no single device tells the whole story.
The driver must have the right license for the vehicle and load. A CDL is required for certain heavy vehicles, passenger vehicles, and placarded hazardous-material loads. A CDL isn’t automatically required just because a truck weighs more than 10,000 pounds. First-time applicants for certain CDL classes or endorsements must complete entry-level training. FMCSA’s CDL guide sets out the vehicle classes and training triggers.
Covered carriers must also check driver qualifications and keep required records. Depending on the operation, those records may include the driver’s application, license and driving history, prior safety performance, and medical qualification. If a carrier knew about a serious driving problem before a crash, the hiring and supervision records may matter as much as the driver’s actions that day.
Federal drug and alcohol testing rules generally apply to CDL drivers operating vehicles subject to the CDL requirements. Covered employers must follow rules for pre-employment and random testing. A post-crash test is required after a fatal collision; after some injury or tow-away crashes, the requirement depends on whether the commercial driver received a citation. FMCSA’s testing chart shows those conditions.
Testing records are one part of the investigation. A negative test does not explain a collision, and an absent test does not prove impairment. Check the timing of any test and why one was or was not required.
Federal rules require covered carriers to inspect, repair, and maintain vehicles under their control. Drivers must be satisfied that a vehicle is safe before operating it. For property-carrying trucks, a written post-trip defect report is generally required when a defect is found or reported; a no-defect report is not required every day. FMCSA describes the carrier’s inspection and maintenance duties.
After a brake failure or tire problem, the useful question is often what the company knew before the wreck. Inspection reports, repair orders, roadside citations, photographs, and the damaged parts can help answer it. A post-crash repair should not erase what the truck’s earlier records showed.
A shifting or falling load can cause a truck to roll over, jackknife, or strike another vehicle. FMCSA’s cargo securement rules address how cargo must be restrained. Load plans, shipping papers, weight tickets, tie-downs, and photographs can show how the trailer was loaded and whether the cargo moved.
Speed also must fit the conditions. Under 49 CFR 392.14, drivers of covered commercial vehicles must slow down when rain, fog, dust, or similar hazards reduce visibility or traction. If conditions become too dangerous, they must stop until travel is safe. Our article on Texas truck crashes in bad weather covers investigations into weather-related claims.
No federal rule requires every large truck to have a governor set at 60 to 68 mph. FMCSA and NHTSA withdrew the proposed speed limiter mandate in July 2025. A carrier may still set its own maximum speed. That setting does not excuse speeding for road or traffic conditions.
Some interstate carriers need a USDOT number and, depending on their business, separate operating authority. FMCSA’s Motus registration system still issues MC, MX, and FF docket numbers; it did not eliminate them in 2025. The agency’s registration modernization page explains what changed and what remains under consideration.
Federal insurance minimums vary with the carrier and cargo. For example, a covered for-hire interstate property carrier operating a vehicle of at least 10,001 pounds and carrying nonhazardous property generally must maintain at least $750,000 in financial responsibility. Different rules and higher minimums can apply to hazardous materials and passenger carriers. FMCSA’s property-carrier insurance table shows the categories. The required minimum does not guarantee that a particular claim has only that much coverage.
The regulation is only the starting point. To find out whether it was followed and whether a failure contributed to the wreck, the investigation may need:
Electronic records and video can be overwritten. The truck may be repaired or returned to service. A timely preservation request should identify the carrier, vehicle, date, and categories of records at issue. For a more detailed checklist, see what evidence to preserve after a Texas truck accident.
A regulatory violation does not, by itself, answer who caused the crash. You still have to establish that the rule applied, what happened, and how that conduct caused harm. An unrelated paperwork problem may not explain a collision; a missed brake repair or unsafe speed may. The facts decide.
No. Federal coverage depends on the vehicle and how it’s operated. Texas has its own rules for intrastate carriers, with some different limits and exceptions.
No. CDL requirements depend on the vehicle’s weight rating, configuration, passenger use, or hazardous-material load. Other safety rules can apply even when a CDL is not required.
Not by itself. An ELD is mainly an hours-of-service record. Speed may be available from other truck systems, fleet records, video, or a crash reconstruction.
No. The federal speed limiter proposals were withdrawn in July 2025. Carriers may set voluntary limits, but drivers must still follow applicable speed and safe-driving rules.
If you or a loved one was seriously hurt, preserving the right evidence early can help show what happened. Speak with Texas truck accident lawyer Greg Baumgartner about the facts of your case. The consultation is free.
