From 2009 to 2012, car accident fatalities dropped 1.74 percent according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The drop was typical of the past 15 years during which fatal crashes fell substantially. NHTSA data indicates that there were 42,013 motor vehicle deaths in 1997 compared to 33,561 in 2012. That decrease occurred despite a […]
Trucking Legislation
New Rules for Truckers Debated
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, under pressure from consumer safety groups and the Teamsters union, may suggest rule changes for how truck drivers operate. Advocates for the changes contend that any losses suffered by the trucking industry will be gained in reduced truck accidents. Opponents counter by suggesting that the new rules force truckers to […]
Cheap lettuce and trucking accidents
Of the many provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) signed in 1994 was one granting Mexican and Canadian truckers the right to carry goods into and out of the United States. After seventeen years of delays and disagreements, the provision might finally take effect despite continued concerns over funding and trucking safety. President […]
NTSB Forum focuses on improving trucking and bus safety
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) convened a public forum from May 10-11 in Washington, DC to review progress made over the last decade in improving truck and bus safety and to discuss steps that must be taken to improve safety in the future. Day 1 of the forum focused on improving the safety culture […]
Study finds current semi-truck rear impact guards are ineffective
When an automobile collides with the rear of a semi-truck trailer it can cause devastating injuries and fatalities. The increased risk is a result of the height of the trailer compared to the car. The hood of most passenger cars are low enough to slide below the deck of the trailer so that the force […]
Trucking Industry Objects to Proposed Cell Phone Restrictions on Truck Drivers
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, nearly 60,000 people were injured and 3,380 people were killed in truck crashes in 2009. Many of these deaths and injuries were caused by distracted truck drivers using cell phones. “Every time a commercial truck or bus driver takes his or her eyes off the road to use a cell […]
Daughter Of Trucking Crash Victim Hands Out First-Ever Top Trucking Safety Award – To VP Of Trucking Company That Killed Her Father
At this year’s Sleep Apnea and Trucking Conference, held on May 11-12 in Baltimore, Don Osterberg, vice president of safety and driver training for Green Bay, Wisconsin-based trucking company Schneider National, was presented with the first-ever Distinguished Safety Leadership award, which was created by the Truck Safety Coalition. Osterberg’s receipt of the award was an unexpected moment […]
U.S Department Of Transportation’s FMCSA Launches National Pre-Employment Screening Program Granting Employers Access To Drivers’ Inspections And Crash Records
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced today the launch of its Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP), a uniform investigatory system that will allow commercial motor carriers access to the crash and inspection records of all candidates seeking employment as commercial vehicle drivers. The PSP is part of the FMCSA’s Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 […]
U.S. Department Of Transportation Issues New Rule Requiring Repeat Offender Motor Carriers To Install Devices That Record Hours Of Vehicle Operation
Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced it was implementing a new rule that, according to DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, is aimed at “cracking down on carriers and drivers who put people on our roads and highways at risk” by violating federal hours-of-service (HOS) regulations. Pursuant to the new rule, […]
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Rolls Out Phase One Of Driver Pre-Employment Screening
In line with the upcoming, nation-wide implementation of Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010) the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) launched Friday the initial phase of its Driver Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP). The PSP, one of the many changes the FMCSA is making to the current regulations governing large motor carriers, will enable carrier […]
