Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers: FMCSA to Require Electronic Log Books
January 20, 2016Driver log books, also known as a driver’s record of duty status, can be a valuable source of evidence in any truck accident investigation. When accurate, they can reveal whether a driver has violated Hours of Service rules. These rules were put in place by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to help prevent truck crashes caused by driver fatigue – a known problem in the trucking industry.
Current standards allow trucking companies and their drivers to choose how they record their on- and off-duty hours, either electronically or by filling out paper log books. Unfortunately, the later method can make it easy for drivers who violate Hours of Service rules to falsify their records in effort to avoid liability in the event of a wreck. To combat this problem, the FMCSA has issued a new rule that will require drivers to replace paper log books with more reliable electronic logging devices (ELDs).
The new rule is anticipated to affect approximately three million commercial truck and bus drivers currently using paper log books to record their hours of service. Drivers will have two years to install and begin using the electronic logging devices. The devices will have to conform to technology specifications set forth by the FMCSA and must be able to transfer data in real time during roadside inspections.
The move is expected to improve efficiency and productivity for trucking firms, resulting in an annual net benefit of more than one billion dollars – mostly by reducing the amount of paperwork drivers are expected to maintain. More importantly though, the rule will serve to improve highway safety by making it harder for truck drivers to violate Hours of Service rules, and easier for enforcement agencies to catch those who do. The FMCSA estimates the rule will save 26 lives and prevent 562 injuries each year by reducing the number of truck crashes caused by truck driver fatigue.
Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Recover Maximum Compensation for Injured Truck Accident Victims
Drowsy driving is more than just risky – it is negligent. When truck driver negligence results in harm to others, we hold them accountable. At LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton, our Maryland truck accident lawyers have helped thousands of individuals get the justice they deserve and the compensation they need to help them recover after being injured in a serious truck crash. To find out how we can put our experience to work for you, contact us online or call 800-547-4LAW (4529) today to schedule a free consultation with one of our qualified Baltimore truck accident lawyers. Because we know that truck accidents can happen at any time, we keep our phone lines open 24 hours a day to get you the help you need when you need it.
Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie and Towson, allowing us to represent truck accident victims and their families 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.
