Sharing the road with large trucks in Illinois can be dangerous. The sheer size and weight differences between trucks and passenger vehicles can cause more significant injuries and incidents of death than other accidents. In order to prevent this from happening, government officials have created stricter laws for truck drivers that are specifically designed to protect everyone on the road.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the allowed blood alcohol concentration limit for drivers with a commercial license is much lower than it is for those in smaller passenger vehicles. While most drivers can have a BAC of up to 0.08 percent in Illinois, truck drivers are limited to a BAC of 0.04 percent. It is important to note that this rule only applies when the truck driver is operating a commercial vehicle. If he or she is operating a passenger car, normal limits will apply despite the fact that the driver also holds a CDL license.
Violating the alcohol limits can lead to serious penalties for truck drivers that may affect their ability to work and their right to drive. The Illinois Secretary of State explains that if the driver refuses to submit to a BAC test or is found to be intoxicated, a statutory summary suspension can be issued. This means that, on the first offense, a driver can lose CDL privileges for one year. If the offense is repeated, a lifetime disqualification can be issued.
The size and weight of large trucks requires drivers to have total focus and be in complete control. The strict penalties that have been put in place serve to protect all motorists on the state’s roads.