Truck Accidents Archives

Study: electronic recording devices can prevent truck crashes

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently released the results of a study which found that the use of electronic hours-of-service recording devices can lower the risk of truck accidents.

The study found that trucks equipped with such a device were 11.7 percent less likely to become involved in an accident. In addition, the crash rate for equipped trucks was 5.1 percent lower with respect to preventable crashes.
Hours-of-service regulations, of course, have the goal of ensuring that drivers are well rested so that they don’t become fatigued on the road and end up causing an accident. Under the current rules, drivers have an 11-hour limit and are required to take rest breaks according to a specific schedule.

Hours-of-service regulations are not always easy for truckers to follow, and in some cases truckers simply fail to abide by the rules. Doing so, of course, puts not only them and their employers at risk, but also other drivers on the road. When a truck accident does occur, negligent drivers and the companies that employ them need to be accountable for their contributions to the accident.

Hours-of-service regulations are not the only rules truckers must follow—there are other rules as well, and failure to follow all prescribed safety rules puts other motorists at risk. It is important for those who have been harmed in a truck accident to work with an experienced attorney in holding responsible parties accountable. Doing so will ensure that the case receives the time, attention and advocacy it deserves and will help ensure the best possible outcome in the case.

Source: Fleet Owner, “Trucks with electronic logs have fewer crashes, study finds,” Avery Vise, May 12, 2014.