The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) made several key changes to federal trucking regulations in 2025. These updates aim to improve safety, compliance, and transparency within the commercial trucking industry. While these changes are primarily designed to reduce accidents and improve driver conduct, they also carry major implications for truck accident injury litigation.
As a leading truck accident injury law firm, McArthur Law Firm closely monitors changes to federal trucking law. If you’ve been injured in a collision with a commercial truck, understanding how these regulatory shifts impact liability, safety protocols, and driver qualifications can directly affect the outcome of your case.
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident in Georgia, call the McArthur Law Firm today to schedule a free consultation. You don’t pay unless we win, so there’s no risk to learn more.
- Atlanta Office: 404-565-1621
- Macon Office: 478-238-6600
- Warner Robins: 478-551-9901
1. Stricter Enforcement of English Language Proficiency
On 28th April 2025, a new executive directive reinforced an often-overlooked rule under 49 CFR § 391.11(b)(2) — requiring all commercial drivers to be sufficiently proficient in English. Under the updated enforcement policy, drivers who cannot speak or read English well enough to understand road signs, communicate with law enforcement, or fill out required documentation will now be immediately placed out of service.
Legal Impact:
For truck accident victims, this change offers a new potential liability angle. If a truck driver involved in your accident was cited or removed from service for failing to meet English language requirements, this can serve as compelling evidence of the carrier’s negligence in hiring or supervision. If a carrier knowingly employed a driver who could not legally operate a commercial vehicle under FMCSA regulations, this could support a claim for negligent hiring.
2. Removal of Eight Non-Compliant ELDs from the FMCSA Registry
On May 12th of 2025, the FMCSA removed eight electronic logging devices (ELDs) from its list of approved devices due to non-compliance with technical specifications. Carriers using these devices must transition to compliant ELDs by July 11, 2025, or risk being cited for ELD violations and operating out of service.
The devices removed include:
- AllwaysTrack
- Command Alkon Trackit
- ELDX
- Gorilla Safety Compact ELD
- HCSS ELD
- LB Technologies FleetTrack HOS
- Simplex ELD 2GO
- Trucker Path ELD Pro
Legal Impact:
ELDs are critical in documenting hours of service (HOS) compliance. In truck accident litigation, ELD records can show whether a driver was fatigued, driving over hours, or falsifying logs. If a trucking company continues to use a de-certified ELD and a crash occurs, this could constitute willful non-compliance with federal safety laws. It opens the door for a negligence per se argument in a personal injury claim.
3. Updated Civil Penalty Amounts for FMCSA Violations
As part of an annual adjustment for inflation, the FMCSA increased the civil penalty amounts for violations of various safety and operational regulations. These changes were codified in 49 CFR Part 386 and took effect December 30, 2024, but will play a major role in enforcement and litigation throughout 2025.
Legal Impact:
Higher civil penalties can act as evidence of the seriousness of a trucking company’s regulatory violations. If a carrier has been penalized for recurring violations — whether for safety inspection failures, HOS violations, or driver qualification issues — this pattern of non-compliance can be used to demonstrate a reckless disregard for safety in your injury case.
4. Voiding of 15,000+ Medical Certificates Due to Fraud
On April 10, 2025, the FMCSA voided more than 15,000 Medical Examiner’s Certificates (MECs) issued by two specific medical examiners between 2023 and 2025. The FMCSA determined that these certificates were issued without the proper testing or without applying the required physical qualification standards.
Affected drivers have until May 10, 2025, to obtain new certificates, or they risk being placed out of service.
Legal Impact:
Injury attorneys should always request and examine the MECs and medical history files of any truck driver involved in a serious accident. If a driver held a voided or improperly issued medical certificate, their legal ability to operate a commercial vehicle is compromised. In such cases, the employer may be liable for allowing an unqualified or medically unfit driver to be behind the wheel.
5. New FMCSA Registration System and Identity Verification
In early 2025, FMCSA launched a redesigned registration system for motor carriers, freight brokers, and freight forwarders. The new system improves:
- Identity verification through Login.gov
- Fraud detection protocols
- Real-time validation of data
- User experience across mobile devices
Legal Impact:
Improved registration data makes it easier to identify shell companies or fraudulent operators that attempt to avoid liability by shifting business names. In complex truck accident cases involving multiple carriers, this system improves the ability of attorneys to trace ownership, insurance, and prior violations, making it harder for negligent companies to avoid accountability.
6. Targeted Emergency Exemptions and Their Limitations
In 2025, the FMCSA issued several targeted emergency declarations, narrowing the broad COVID-era exemptions to only apply to specific emergencies like:
- Avian flu outbreaks affecting poultry transport
- Winter storm relief involving heating fuel deliveries
These exemptions relax hours-of-service rules, but only for those directly involved in the relief effort and under strict documentation requirements.
Legal Impact:
During litigation, if a truck driver claims an HOS exemption, your attorney must evaluate whether the emergency exemption actually applied. Misuse of an exemption can invalidate the defense and may point to reckless or unlawful operation, particularly in fatigue-related truck crashes.
Why These Changes Matter for Your Truck Accident Case
When a truck crash occurs, victims face overwhelming medical costs, lost income, and life-altering trauma. Proving negligence is the cornerstone of recovering full compensation. FMCSA regulations set the federal safety standards that all commercial carriers must follow — and when a company or driver fails to comply, that violation becomes a critical element of your injury claim.
Some of the ways FMCSA changes could strengthen your case include:
- Proving negligent hiring or retention if a driver was unqualified, had a voided MEC, or failed the language requirement.
- Establishing driver fatigue through analysis of ELD data — or lack of it due to a banned device.
- Holding carriers accountable for repeated or serious FMCSA violations by leveraging updated civil penalty records.
- Uncovering shell companies or ghost carriers through the improved registration database.
McArthur Law Firm Is Prepared for the Future of Truck Accident Litigation
At McArthur Law Firm, we’ve built our reputation on holding negligent trucking companies accountable. Our experienced team understands how to navigate federal trucking regulations and uncover violations that insurance companies would rather hide. We investigate:
- Driver logbooks and electronic logging data
- FMCSA registration and compliance records
- Internal company training and supervision policies
- Prior violations and civil penalties
If you or a loved one has been injured in a commercial truck accident in Georgia, call us today for a free case consultation. We fight for maximum compensation and we know how to use federal and Georgia state trucking law to your advantage.
Call the nearest office to you below or use our online contact form to get in touch today!
- Atlanta Office: 404-565-1621
- Macon Office: 478-238-6600
- Warner Robins: 478-551-9901
