Recognizing the risks posed by fatigued truckers on roads throughout the nation, the federal National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is calling for stronger regulations on electronic logging devices (ELD) and other elevated safety standards for trucks.
We’ve seen over and over again the impact that dangerous truck drivers can have on motorists, and we understand the importance of holding trucking companies accountable for road safety. When truckers fall asleep at the wheel, the consequences can be deadly. Stronger measures are needed to prevent tragic wrecks.
The crash that prompted the NTSB to call for reform
While fatigue and falling asleep at the wheel play a significant role in many truck wrecks, one in particular was the impetus for the NTSB to call for stronger safety measures. In 2022, a trucker in Virginia collided with the rear of a slower-moving bus, killing three bus occupants and causing injuries to 20 others. According to the NTSB evaluation, the truck driver did not brake or take evasive action prior to the collision—telltale signs of a driver who was asleep at the wheel.
The NTSB’s investigators found that the truck driver was fatigued because of excessive driving time, well in excess of the federal hours of service (HOS) requirements. They also found that the trucking company falsified hours of service records by creating fictitious driver accounts in the electronic logging device (ELD) system.
Tighter ELD standards could prevent serious wrecks
As a result of the investigation of the Virginia crash, the NTSB recommended stricter ELD regulations that would require logging of the date, driver login time, names of anyone who edited the log, and any changes to the active driver list. Such changes would make it more difficult for trucking companies to modify records and make it look like their drivers are in compliance with the HOS rules.
The NTSB also renewed its recommendations for forward collision avoidance systems, onboard video event recorders, and automatic emergency braking systems.
Fatigued long-haul truckers are a menace on interstate highways
Long-haul trucking is a tiring job. That’s why truck drivers are required to take regular breaks and limit the number of hours they drive. The federal HOS regulations limit drivers to 11 hours of driving time after 10 consecutive hours off duty, no driving beyond the 14th hour after 10 hours off duty, a 30-minute driving break after eight cumulative hours of driving, and either 60 hours on duty in seven days or 70 hours on duty in eight days.
When truckers and trucking companies violate those rules, they risk falling asleep at the wheel and causing life-altering accidents. Because of the distance they have to travel, fatigued truckers are particularly common on cross-country interstate highways, like I-10 and I-65 in the Mobile area.
If you were injured in a truck wreck, we can help
Truckers and trucking companies violate the HOS rules for one reason: more driving time equals more profits for them. The only way to stop them from putting profits ahead of safety is to hold them accountable when their negligence causes harm. That’s our job. An experienced truck accident attorney can thoroughly investigate the wreck, get to the bottom of what happened, and build your case to fight for the fair and reasonable compensation you deserve.
If you’ve been injured or lost a loved one in a truck wreck in Mobile or anywhere in Alabama, we’d be honored to listen to your story and explain your legal rights and options. Contact Dean Waite & Associates, LLC today for a free, confidential consultation.