Commercial drivers are held to different standards than other drivers. One area where this is true is drunk driving laws. For noncommercial drivers, the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for driving is .08%. For commercial drivers, that standard is much lower at only .04%. The reason for this is because commercial vehicles are much larger and much heavier than regular personal vehicles. This means that they are a much bigger hazard for others on the road, as well as pedestrians.
There are many different types of facts that can classify individuals as commercial drivers. These include:
- Drivers for churches
- Drivers for civic organizations
- For-hire motor carriers
- Private motor carriers
- Local, state and federal government employees who drive government vehicles
- Leasers and owners of a commercial vehicle
- Individuals who assign drivers for commercial vehicles
It is possible for a commercial driver to have to face BAC or drug testing at random times. Interestingly, commercial drivers have to seriously think about whether they are going to take a blood alcohol test. Failing to take the test when asked to do so is the same as pleading guilty to drunk driving.
Unfortunately, commercial drivers who are facing a drunk driving charge might also be facing the end of their career. Many companies won’t allow a driver who has this type of charge to remain employed. This is true whether the drunk driving stop occurred in a work vehicle or their personal vehicle. Because of this, these commercial drivers need to think carefully about what they are going to do for their defense. There is a lot at stake in these cases.