Truck driver fatigue has been to blame for countless accidents and deaths over the years. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), overtired truckers are responsible for roughly 4,000 fatalities every year on U.S. roadways. Efforts to strengthen truck safety laws have been continually met with strong opposition from powerful trucking lobbies. Now, a new federal rule, set to go into effect in December 2017, could finally turn the tide on deadly trucking accidents.
Read on to learn how electronic logging devices (ELDs) may change the way truckers operate on the road, eliminating truck driver fatigue and making Missouri roads safer for motorists.
How Electronic Logging Devices Will Change The Trucking Industry
The new rule, issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will require all interstate commercial trucks to utilize electronic logging devices to automatically track their time. Electronic logging devices work by syncing with truck engines to accurately track actual time on the road by truckers.
ELDs are long overdue. Currently, the majority of truckers utilize paper logbooks, which require them to manually input their time. The paper logbooks are easily falsified to make it appear as if truckers are complying with federal hours of service (HOS) rules, which limit the number of hours a trucker may be on the road without taking a break or resting.
Often referred to as "comic books," it has been shown that many truckers keep two sets of logbooks, one that may be submitted to federal authorities and a separate logbook to record their true time.
Electronic logbooks will prevent truckers from being able to conceal HOS violations. Because electronic logbook devices cannot be tampered with, truckers will be forced to adhere to HOS rules.
Electronic Logging Devices Could Be Used To Catch Speeding Truck Drivers In Missouri
There could be a secondary benefit to the implementation of electronic logbooks. Because GPS devices will be incorporated into ELDs, they could potentially be used to uncover speeding violations as well. The combined effect could prove to be a powerful deterrent for unsafe truck drivers. Their ability to drive remains contingent on avoiding moving violations.
For families impacted by serious trucking accidents, these new changes cannot come soon enough.
According to data from the Missouri Department of Transportation, 128 people were killed and 2,070 were injured in accidents involving large trucks, semis or commercial motor vehicles in 2015.
Anyone critically hurt in a trucking accident should contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to discuss their options. The attorney can pursue just compensation from trucking companies and insurers on your behalf
The choice of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertising.
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