Logo
WichitaLiberalGarden CityGoodlandSalinaHaysManhattanTopekaEmporiaKansas CityHutchinsonAll Locations

SEPTEMBER 15, 2025

How We Use the FMCSRs and ANSI/ASSP Z15.1 to Prove Negligence Against Truck & Delivery Drivers in Wichita — and Win For Our Clients

By Bradley A. Pistotnik, Bull Attorneys Truck Accident Team

Last reviewed: September 15, 2025

Wichita truck accident lawyer using FMCSR and ANSI/ASSP Z15.1 standards to prove negligence

Why this Wichita focused guide matters

If you or a family member were hit by a tractor trailer, box truck, or delivery van anywhere in the Wichita metro (Kellogg/US-254/400, I-135, I-235, K-96, K-254, the Turnpike, and major arterials), speed is everything. Carriers deploy rapid response teams, while vital electronic data can be overwritten within days. This guide shows how we use the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) and the ANSI/ASSP Z15.1 fleet safety standard to prove negligence against trucking and delivery companies—and why it matters for families in Sedgwick County.

Wichita & Sedgwick County crash snapshot

Kansas newsrooms regularly cover serious semi and delivery vehicle crashes in the Wichita metro:

  • Fiery semi crash near K-254 & Greenwich (KHP confirmed details). KWCH coverage

How FMCSRs help prove negligence

We use the FMCSRs (49 C.F.R. Parts 382, 383, 390–399) as a blueprint to evaluate negligence:

Driver fatigue

49 C.F.R. § 392.3 — No driver may operate while too fatigued or ill; motor carriers may not require or permit it. Source

Hours of Service (HOS) & ELDs

Part 395 — We audit logs, GPS/telematics, fuel and toll records, and dispatch for falsification or over hours driving. Source

Post accident alcohol/drug testing

§ 382.303 — Employers must test surviving drivers as soon as practicable after qualifying crashes. Source

Driver qualification files

§ 391.51 — DQFs (MVRs, prior employer checks, road tests, medical certification) expose negligent hiring/retention. Source

Inspection/repair/maintenance

Part 396; § 396.3 — DVIRs, periodic inspections, and repair records (with required retention) establish whether the truck was safe. Source

Accident register & cooperation

§ 390.15 — Carriers must keep a 3-year accident register and give reasonable assistance to investigators. Source

Why ANSI/ASSP Z15.1 matters for delivery fleets and employer vehicles

Many Wichita crashes involve company cars, pickups, vans, or last mile vehicles not always governed by the same FMCSR profile as tractor trailers. ANSI/ASSP Z15.1 2024 is a nationally recognized fleet safety standard for employer operated vehicles—covering written safety policies, driver vetting/training, distraction and fatigue controls, telematics, incident reporting, and program audits. We use Z15.1 as persuasive evidence of what a reasonable company safety program looks like, highlighting gaps in training, supervision, or policy enforcement.

Learn more: ASSP Z15.1 overview, ANSI explainer (2024 update)

National context from USDOT (FMCSA & NHTSA)

NHTSA estimates 5,472 people were killed in crashes involving large trucks nationwide in 2023—about 70% were occupants of other vehicles; most fatal large truck crashes occurred on weekdays. NHTSA 2023 Large Trucks Fact Sheet

Explore FMCSA crash statistics dashboards and reports. FMCSA A&I Crash Statistics

What we preserve—fast

  • ELD logs and back office HOS data (including edits and location pings)
  • ECM/telematics downloads (speed, throttle, braking, ABS, fault codes)
  • In cab and outward facing video; driver phone and dispatch communications
  • Driver Qualification File (MVRs, prior employer checks, medical card)
  • Inspection/repair/maintenance records and DVIRS (Part 396 retention)
  • Load papers, weight & securement records (49 C.F.R. Part 393; § 392.9)
  • Carrier safety manuals, Z15.1 type fleet policies, training & discipline records
  • Scene evidence: KHP/WPD measurements, downloads, and Wichita accident records

Free case review — Wichita & Sedgwick County

We're ready to deploy an on call truck crash team for the Wichita metro.

Start here: Bull Attorneys — Truck Accidents

Call 24/7 or request a callback. No fee unless we win. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Helpful Wichita/Kansas resources

Our track record (results vary)

Our trial team has secured multiple six and seven-figure settlements for seriously injured clients in commercial vehicle and delivery fleet crashes. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Our disciplined approach—rapid preservation, FMCSR/Z15.1 analysis, and data-driven reconstruction—maximizes recoveries.

Editorial standards & disclaimer

This is educational content for Kansas motorists and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Data sources: KDOT, KHP, Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office, the City of Wichita, FMCSA, and NHTSA. These sources update their dashboards and reports periodically.

FAQs

Wichita Truck Crash FAQs

Call Now, It's Free

Bull Attorneys Serves Several States in the Midwest

Bull Attorneys concentrates in car, truck, and motorcycle injury cases across these states:

Kansas • Arizona • Arkansas • Colorado • Florida • Missouri • Nebraska • Oklahoma • Utah

Interactive Service Area Map

View our office locations across Kansas and surrounding states

Click to load map
  • Wichita Metro
  • Garden City Metro
  • Goodland KS
  • Hays KS
  • Colby KS
  • Dodge City KS
  • Kansas City Metro
  • Central KS
  • Independence KS
  • Fredonia KS
  • Salina Metro
  • Liberal Metro
  • Manhattan KS
  • Junction City KS
  • Lawrence KS
  • Pittsburg KS

Not all lawyers are licensed in all states.