Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers: Long-Haul Truck Drivers Face Significant Safety Issues

Posted on March 21, 2016

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) – the federal agency that carries out research and recommends ways to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses and deaths – conducted a study recently that focused on long-haul truck drivers (LHTD) and the unique safety issues they face. This is the first time that a study has provided specific information about truck crashes, work-related injuries, work environments, driver training, attitudes and behavior.

The key findings of the study, which was published in the Accident Analysis and Prevention journal, include the following statistics:

  • A majority (68%) of non-crash injuries that involved time away from work, including for company drivers, were not reported to their employees.
  • Seventy-three percent of drivers studied felt that their delivery deadlines did not allow for an appropriate amount of time, which may increase the incidence of violations such as speeding, driving while drowsy or during bad weather, and violating driving-hour regulations.
  • Truck drivers (35%) said that they were involved in at least one crash over the course of their career.
  • Drivers indicated they did not receive adequate training as new drivers – 38%.

NIOSH conducted interviews with 1,265 long-haul truck drivers at 32 truck stops across the United States. They were asked questions about their health, safety, work habits and how often they were involved in truck crashes. NIOSH initially published their findings in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine. It looked at the link between obesity – along with other chronic diseases – and the health and work practices of LHTDs.

Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Represent Victims of Truck Crashes

Truck accidents can be much more complicated than car accidents when it comes to filing a claim. Baltimore truck accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton have the experience and resources necessary to obtain maximum compensation for our clients. If you have been injured in a truck accident, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.

Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie and Towson, allowing us to represent truck accident victims 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.