The trucking industry must comply with a multitude of complex rules and regulations to ensure safety on our nation’s roads. Recently, the Obama administration announced a proposal that would refine existing safety programs, as well as introduce new initiatives. The GROW AMERICA Act is largely aimed at funding the repair and modernization of bridges and […]
Truck Accidents
Will Fatal Bus-Truck Accident Spur New Safety Regulations?
If you’ve been following national news, you may have seen ongoing reports of a fatal bus-truck collision in California. A tractor-trailer collided with a motorcoach that was carrying about 40 high school students, and a bus window had to be kicked out for many of the students to escape. Flames engulfed the truck and the bus, […]
Electronic Logs Proposed for Truck Drivers’ Hours of Service
Keeping hours-of-service records is a primary safety requirement for truck drivers and trucking companies. Truck drivers are required to log their hours and take rest breaks to avoid fatigue, which too often is a contributing factor in serious truck accidents. However, the accumulated data in truck drivers’ logbooks can be unwieldy for investigators and regulators. […]
Serious Violations Preceded Deadly Truck Accident
A Chicago-area trucker is facing four felony charges for behavior leading up to a deadly wreck on I-88. The semi-truck accident occurred two weeks ago and claimed the life of a toll-way worker. It also left an Illinois State Trooper with critical injuries. As a result of his actions, the truck driver has been labeled an “imminent […]
Substance Abuse And Trucking Accidents
Alcohol and drugs are frequent contributing factors to a wide variety of motor vehicle accidents. Substance abuse is a concern of the trucking industry where a single truck accident can claim multiple lives and cause tremendous damage. A review of several studies conducted concerning substance abuse and truck drivers has revealed a concerning pattern. Younger, less experienced […]
Truck Driver Cited After Metra Train Collision
On Monday, a Metra train collided with a semi truck in Bartlett. The truck driver involved in the crash is now being charged by Metra police for two violations. The 41-year-old man is being cited for violating a highway-rail grade crossing and avoiding a traffic control device, according to a spokesperson for Metra. The crash caused substantial […]
Truck Drivers And State Marijuana Laws
Individual states have taken steps to legalize medical and even recreational use of marijuana in recent years. While the states have the right to make these decisions, commercial drivers, pilots and operators are still bound by federal regulations concerning safe operation of buses, trains, planes and trucks. Truck drivers are still in violation of these […]
Drowsy Driving And Caffeine Intake Among Truck Drivers
Long, uninterrupted stretches of driving can challenge a person physically and mentally. Boredom and exhaustion set in and can increase the likelihood of a serious accident. These stretches are the working reality for many commercial truck drivers. Rules limiting the hours of service in which a truck driver can work do not ensure that the driver […]
New Safety Recommendations Released
The National Transportation Safety Board has made 19 total recommendations across several Transportation Department agencies. Some of the suggested changes stem from the NTSB investigation of a deadly 2011 crash in which a semi-truck hit an Amtrak train. That wreck claimed the lives of 6 people and left many more injured. Perhaps the most controversial of the […]
Health Exam Policy For Truck Drivers Changing
A longstanding Department of Transportation policy requires people with a commercial driver’s license to get a medical physical every other year to maintain that license. The goal of the policy is to prevent, or at least minimize bus and truck crashes that result from a medical emergency of the driver. Questions about the effectiveness of that policy […]
Distracted Driving In Fatal Crashes And Injury Accidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released a study of all the motor vehicle crashes that occurred in 2010. According to that study, distracted driving was a contributing factor in 10 percent of fatal crashes. In addition, distracted driving was cited as a factor in 18 percent of the total crashes where someone suffered […]
New Tools For Understanding Truck Driver Safety
After a truck accident, trucking companies may choose to take action against a truck driver who failed to perform his or her duties in a safe manner. New technology may allow fleet operators predict future driver behavior and take steps before a truck accident even occurs. Predictive analytics software can use information regarding a driver’s past behavior, […]
Truck Makers Want Rollover Accident Regulations Scaled Back
New regulations were proposed last May concerning the installation of anti-rollover systems in buses and heavy duty trucks. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicated that rollover accidents cause roughly 700 traffic deaths per year. NHTSA researchers estimated that electronic stability control systems would prevent thousands of crashes and between 49 and 60 fatalities every year. The […]
Commercial Vehicles and Railroad Crossings
Highway-rail grade crossings are intersections where roads cross railroad tracks on the same level or grade. These intersections are the site of more than 3,000 accidents every year, including roughly 700 semi truck accidents. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has created a new initiative designed to help truck drivers and other commercial vehicle operators avoid […]
Stricter Sleep Apnea Guidelines Proposed for Truck Drivers
Sleep apnea is a health condition that prevents its sufferers from getting sufficient restful sleep. When it strikes a truck driver, sleep apnea can make it difficult to get enough sleep to keep up with a typical commercial trucking schedule. The result can be an increase in truck accidents caused by drowsy driving. The Federal Motor Carrier […]
Illinois Highway Construction Worker Killed by Semi Truck
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, every year approximately 100 construction workers are killed in roadway work zones around the nation. On Tuesday morning, a semi truck failed to merge into the left lane quickly enough and chose to drive around a Department of Transportation arrow truck by going onto the right shoulder. He […]
Hours of Service Rules Challenged by Trucking Associations
When the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration proposed new restrictions on the hours of service a truck driver could operate, there was no doubt there would be controversy. Trucking industry insiders believe that the new rules are needlessly restrictive and will not make a significant difference in the number of truck accidents. The American Trucking Association […]