Truck accidents in Riverside County

Why truck cases are different

The Inland Empire moves an enormous volume of freight on I-15, I-215, SR-60 and SR-91. When a commercial truck is involved, responsibility often extends beyond the driver to the carrier that dispatched the load, the owner of the tractor or trailer, and companies that loaded cargo or serviced brakes and tires.

Hours of service and driver records

Federal regulations limit how long commercial drivers may drive and be on duty (49 CFR Part 395). Electronic logging data, dispatch records and delivery schedules can show whether a driver was pushed past those limits. Carriers are not required to keep every record forever, which is why an early written request to preserve evidence matters.

Evidence to secure early

• Electronic logging device and telematics data
• Dashcam and nearby business or traffic video
• Driver qualification, inspection and maintenance files
• Bills of lading, cargo weights and loading records
• The collision report from the CHP or local agency (see our crash report guide)

Delivery vans and box trucks

Crashes with delivery vans on neighborhood streets raise the same questions on a smaller scale: who employed or contracted the driver, whose insurance applies, and what the company's own records show.

Fault and deadlines

The ordinary rules of the road still apply, such as the basic speed law and the rule against following too closely. California's comparative fault rule applies to truck cases too (CACI No. 405), and the general two-year filing deadline governs most claims (CCP § 335.1).