Missouri Drug Use Truck Accident Attorney

Trucking Accidents and Drug Use

An 80,000 pound fully loaded big rig is one of the most dangerous vehicles to operate on Missouri roadways. When a truck driver chooses to drive this truck while under the influence of drugs, the results can be deadly. Even though the federal government has strict laws in place to prevent truck drivers from using drugs while operating these large trucks, it still happens.

Drivers of large commercial trucks are required to undergo random drug testing in an effort to improve safety and reduce accidents. Unfortunately, a recent study by the Government Accountability Office found that up to 75% of the drug testing sites did not supervise the testing and drivers had access to substances that could actually dilute the urine specimens making them invalid. Experienced semi truck accident lawyers will be able to uncover this evidence and use it to support your truck accident case.

Even if truck drivers pass their drug testing, many drivers abuse prescription and over the counter drugs which they are not routinely tested for. Prescription and over the counter drugs can be used to keep drivers awake, get high, have fun, relax and even deal with anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, when used incorrectly, these drugs can cause serious delays in reaction time and lead to devastating accidents.

The FMCSA 3 year trucking accident causation study produced some startling findings regarding drug use and trucking accidents. According to the study, Prescription Drug Use accounted for 26.3% of all truck accidents. In fact, it was the #1 cause. Over the counter drug use accounted for 17.3% of all trucking accidents, while illegal drug use only accounted for 2.3%. These findings suggest that even though a semi truck driver may pass a drug test, they may still be under the influence of drugs, in the form of prescription and over the counter drugs. When abused, these drugs can prove to be just as dangerous to passenger vehicles on the roadway.

If you or someone you love was injured in a trucking accident it is important to contact an experienced Missouri trucking accident attorney immediately. Your attorney will need to aggressively investigate your case to determine if the truck driver was under the influence of drugs—either illegal, prescription or over the counter. If the truck driver was using drugs improperly, he may be held liable and ultimately responsible for the truck accident and your injuries.

At The Page Law Firm, we fight to get our truck accident clients the best possible result. We help real families----with real problems. Contact us immediately for a free consultation. You will never pay any fees unless we recover money for you. Please call 314.322.8515 for an immediate response from John Page or contact John online at john@thepagefirm.com.