Tuesday, December 23, 2014

By Following Rules Truck Drivers Save Lives

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is responsible for regulating trucking companies in the United States. This authority works to improve the road safety, by making efforts to reduce the number of crashes. FMCSA manages rules and regulations related to the commercial motor vehicles including trucks.

FMCSA has Hours of Service (HOS) regulations that every truck (or any other commercial motor vehicle) driver has to follow. The latest HOS Final Rule overhaul was February 27, 2012. Few changes were made in the regulations in 2013. Some rules for property carrying and passenger carrying vehicles are different, while there are other few that are same for both.

Regulations for work timings for truck drivers are –
  • They cannot drive for more than 11 hours per day.
  • They can be on duty for only 14 hours per day. They can resume work after spending 10 consecutive hours off duty.
  • They can work for a maximum of 70 hours in a week.

Previously, the maximum limit was 82 hours in an average workweek, but it was changed in July 2013.

Regulations about rests & breaks are –
  • It is also necessary for drivers to take a 30-minutes break in the first 8 hours of their shift.
  • For working more than 70 hours in a week, they must rest for 34 consecutive hours. It includes rest of at least two nights according to their body clock (1 a.m. to 5 a.m.).
Regulations about on duty time–
  • It does not include the time that driver uses for resting in a parked truck.

Before the new provisions, on duty time included any time spent in the vehicle, excluding sleeper berth.

Regulations about penalties–
  • Penalties are applied on drivers if they drive more than 3 hours after passing their driving limit. Allowing someone else to drive may also give rise to a penalty.
Regulations about oilfield exemptions–
  • At oilfields, waiting time for drivers should be noted as off duty on a logbook.
In case of an accident, if the truck accident attorney of the victim proves that the driver was not following the given regulations, it may go against the driver and the company.  The problem is that the companies try to make drivers work over the maximum amount of hours to add to profits, but in turn creates a more dangerous environment,

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Why are Cases of Truck Accidents Gradually Increasing?

Even though the safety of vehicles is increasing, the amount of accidents with trucks keeps increasing as well. Perhaps it is because with the increased speed and safety of cars, people are more cavalier with the way they drive, but despite the enhanced safety features, when a car is in a truck accident, the car almost always loses.

Collisions with big vehicles like trucks always cause heavy damage, whether it is financial, physical, or emotional. While there are many reasons why more and more cases of truck accidents are being reported, here are 3 other reasons mentioned below-

1. For covering long distances in less time, drivers go beyond speed limits and put others lives at risk.  With the bad economy, truckers needs to do more for less, and they are often paid per mile, so they have every incentive to complete the delivery rather than do so in the safest possible manner.

2. Similarly, another reason behind increasing truck accidents is that drivers need to stay awake for longer periods, which exhausts them. Moreover, continuous driving makes them feel tired, which affects their concentration levels as well. Due to lack of sleep, many of the truck drivers forget to use many simple safety measures such as giving indicators while turning or changing lane. It may sound like a minor negligence, but can cause terrible accidents.

3. Poorly maintained vehicles also lead to disastrous accidents. Many trucking companies ignore the maintenance deadlines of these commercial vehicles, which can lead to sudden equipment breakdown. Pennywise and pound foolish, cutting corners with safety can lead to cataclysmic results.

What should a truck accident victim do for justice?

If you or your loved one has fallen victim to a truck accident, you should consult an experienced truck accident injury law firm for legal help.

An experienced can help you file a lawsuit against the trucking companies to protect the rights that you are entitled to. They will carefully analyze the situation and collect all possible evidence and determine who to sue, and exhaust the search for all possible policies.

They will use all their knowledge to ensure that you get appropriate compensation to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and emotional suffering.

Most lawyers even provide free consultations and handle you case without any fee up front. Trucking lawyers are only paid if they win your case, so you have nothing to lose by calling them for a free consultation.