Enforcement of Truck Accident Regulations Is On the Decline
The number of serious truck accidents is expected to rise in the near future, as federal authorities will be doing less to enforce the rules. If you have been hurt in a crash involving a commercial vehicle, the Riverside truck accident lawyers at Heiting & Irwin can help.
There are numerous federal regulations that trucking companies must follow. However, these regulations are at their most effective when they are strictly and attentively enforced. Recently, the government has relaxed enforcement against trucking companies, and they are even dropping enforcement actions that have already begun.
The Riverside truck accident attorneys at Heiting & Irwin fight for their clients to receive full compensation for their injuries. We can immediately get to work to investigate the truck accident and to put you in a position to receive the proper and many times substantial compensation.
In 2025, There Are Fewer Enforcement Actions Against Trucking Companies
Since January 2025, the number of enforcement actions that the federal government has taken against trucking companies for violating regulations has dropped sharply. In some cases, frontline investigators were even seeking to shut down trucking companies entirely for dangerous practices, but their actions have been sharply reduced. The result is that the dangers to motorists on the road and their passengers will increase sharply at a time when truck accident fatalities have already been on the rise.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is tasked with enforcing the myriad of trucking regulations that companies must follow. Penalties can range from fines to a trucking company being shut down entirely. Criminal sanctions are possible in egregious cases. Motorists rely on the FMCSA to take action against trucking companies when they have broken the rules. It is a form of accountability which could prevent accidents in the future! If existing investigations and potential new actions are diminished, dangerous or devious trucking companies can continue operating even though jeopardizing your safety. And negligent or intentionally reckless trucking companies may be able to escape the consequences of their own actions.
Statistics show that, in the first two months of 2025, the number of trucking company enforcement actions dropped by roughly 60%. Currently, FMCSA investigations must be referred to the Department of Transportation before any action can be taken against the trucking company. Even investigations that seemingly found trucking company misconduct have sometimes been closed without action. Thankfully, the agency has expressed an interest in acting against trucking companies, at least when there have been high-profile accidents with possible gross negligence. But our safety deserves greater attention than that.
For their part, trucking companies have claimed that over-aggressive enforcement of regulations has hampered their ability to do business. The industry has also complained about inconsistent enforcement of rules. They have cited these issues as reasons for delays and a raise in their costs of doing business.
Federal Truck Regulation Enforcement Saves Lives
It remains to be seen how much this decline in government enforcement will lead to further increases in truck accident injuries and fatalities. Trucking companies may feel emboldened to cut corners, leaving the traveling public in danger. Federal regulation is, after all, the first line of defense against trucking companies, which can prevent accidents from happening in the first place.
Thankfully, this lack of government enforcement has nothing to do with whether you are able to receive compensation for your trucking accident injury. Of course, if the government has found that the trucking company has violated a law, it could constitute negligence per se (a breach of the standard of care evidenced by the failure to follow the law, thereby causing the accident). Clients retain the ability to act on their own against the trucking company if injured in an accident. If the trucking company was negligent, you may be entitled to substantial financial compensation. Having a good, experienced Riverside truck accident attorney increases your odds of doing so by multiples.
Contact a Riverside Truck Accident Law Firm Today
The experienced Riverside truck accident lawyers at Heiting & Irwin are just a phone call away. You can schedule a free initial consultation with a truck accident attorney by messaging us through our website or by calling us today at (951) 682-6400. You never have to pay us anything unless you receive a settlement or award for your injuries.
