Trucking Industry Responds to Latest Safety Regulations
December 20, 2017
Effective December 18, 2017, all commercial trucks will be required to come equipped with electronic logging devices (ELDs), which will replace the paper log books that truck drivers have been using for decades to record their hours of service. This Obama-era safety regulation is one of many that the current White House administration is likely to roll back. While some truck drivers and carrier owners feel that the industry is already overregulated, safety officials and others in the industry believe that strict safety rules will help prevent many of the devastating truck accidents that occur on roads and highways across the country.
ELD Protests
Over 3.5 million truck drivers staged protests earlier this month, with hopes that the Trump administration will delay the deadline for federally mandated ELDs. Many truck drivers feel that ELDs are too expensive and do not account for certain realities of life on the road that can cause delays, including unforeseen holdups at a shipper or receiver, road construction or congestions, or a serious car accident that causes heavy traffic. These delays often waste hours of time that is logged as time on the job. Once the driver reaches the hours-of-service time limit, the delay can cause serious financial problems for the truck driver, since they are generally paid by the mile, not by the hour.
Safety Advocates
Safety advocates argue that ELDs help prevent driver fatigue, one of the most common causes of truck accidents in the United States. According to the Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, there have been too many horrific truck accidents
In addition to sleep apnea testing, other safety regulations have also been halted, including a motor carrier safety rating system, a rule requiring trucks to come equipped with speed-limiting devices, mandatory underride guards on trailers, and automatic emergency braking on all trucks. John Lannen, Executive Director of the Truck Safety Coalition, finds the current administration’s recommendations troubling, and capable of undermining safety when truck-related injuries and fatalities are on the rise. With over 4,000 truck fatalities a year, said Lannen, something needs to change. It is unclear whether more safety provisions will be made as a new FMCSA administrator has yet to be officially confirmed.
Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Advocate for Victims of Truck Accidents
If you or a loved one has been seriously or fatally injured in a truck accident, contact an experienced Baltimore truck accident lawyer at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton as soon as possible. Truck accidents cause some of the most devastating injuries and massive property damage, and we are committed to holding the negligent parties responsible for the wreck. To set up a free, confidential consultation, call 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 in 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, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.
