Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers: Insurance for Truck Crashes
August 4, 2015A recently proposed bill seeks to overhaul the trucking industry in an effort to increase safety on our nation’s highways. The new bill, titled the Truck Safety Act, was introduced before Congress by Senator Cory Booker in mid-July 2015. The goal is to replace outdated standards with newer, more modern standards of truck safety. The bill addresses minimum insurance requirements, driver pay and crash avoidance technology.
Higher Minimum Insurance
Insurance minimums have not moved since being set at $750,000 back in 1980. That figure is the equivalent of more than two million dollars in today’s economy. The idea was that high premiums would discourage trucking companies from engaging in negligent practices or employing reckless drivers.
In today’s standards, that figure is only enough to cover a fraction of a truck accident victim’s medical costs. The Truck Safety Act would double the minimum insurance coverage requirements from $750,000 to $1.5 million. The bill also includes a provision that would allow that figure to increase annually in order to keep pace with inflation.
Driver Pay
If adopted, the Truck Safety Act would require employers to pay drivers for every hour worked rather than keep with the standard practice of paying per mile driven. The idea is to avoid the inherent dangers of overworked drivers and a pay plan that encourages risky behavior like speeding. The Act also will require a study to address the impact of excessive commuting on safety and truck driver fatigue.
Crash Avoidance Technology
The bill would also mandate the adoption of a federal safety standard that requires all vehicles with a gross weight greater than 26,000 pounds to be equipped with crash avoidance and mitigation systems, such as forward collision warning systems, forward collision automatic braking systems and lane departure warning systems.
Finally, the bill would also require the use of speed limiting devices on commercial trucks with a gross weight of more than 26,000 pounds. The electronic devices would limit a truck’s stop speed to no more than 70 mph.
Baltimore Trucking Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Pursue Maximum Compensation for Truck Accident Victims and Their Families
Injuries sustained in truck accidents are often catastrophic, resulting in costly medical bills and lost wages. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a truck accident caused by the reckless or negligent actions of a driver or motor carrier, we can help. Call the experienced Maryland truck accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton at 800-547-4LAW (4529) today to schedule your free consultation or contact us online.
Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie and Towson, allowing us to represent victims of truck accidents throughout Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Parkville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood and Elkridge.
