Dallas, Tx, 09/01/2015 /SubmitPressRelease123/
Are Looser Trucking Industry Regulations Literally Killing Us by Amy Witherite Truck Injury Accident Lawyer?
Texas truck accident attorney Amy Witherite chimes in on the discussion about the dangers of limiting regulations for truck drivers and companies.
Regulations imposed for the trucking industry have been the focus of heavy debate across the country. Sparked by news of accidents like the one that left actor and comedian Tracy Morgan critically injured last year, the push for heavier regulations has been made stronger by transportation safety advocates who fear that regulatory lapses are contributing to a rising number of truck accident deaths. Some say that moves by Congress have been among of the strongest influencers for loosening the grip when it comes to attempts to force truck drivers and companies to put safety first. This is stated to hold true despite statistical evidence that supports the need for more control.
A recent New York Times article highlights these fears with the author suggesting that some actions by Congress threaten to impede on even the safety improvement efforts federal regulators say should be in place. Howard Abramson writes in the piece “More people will be killed in traffic accidents involving large trucks this year than have died in all of the domestic commercial airline crashes over the past 45 years, if past trends hold true.”
The article further discusses Congressional measures that seem to support the assertions about legislative hindrances.
Source: The New York Times OP-ED Report “The Trucks Are Killing Us”
“In recent months, Congress has pursued a number of steps to roll back safety improvements ordered by federal regulators. It has pushed to allow truck drivers to work 82 hours a week, up from the current 70 hours over eight days, by suspending a rule that drivers take a 34-hour rest break over two nights in order to restart their work week; discouraged the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from investing in wireless technology designed to improve the monitoring of drivers and their vehicles; and signaled its willingness to allow longer and heavier trucks despite widespread public opposition…”
To read more visit http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/22/opinion/the-trucks-are-killing-us.html?_r=1.
According to Texas based truck accident attorney Amy Witherite, there is much public confusion surrounding why Congress views such measures as ok amid a rising number of fatalities. According to data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there were 385,000 non-fatal traffic crashes in the United States that involved large trucks or buses, in addition to over an estimated 3,500 fatal accidents. Witherite says of the issue “the numbers are there to show why many would question Congress agreeing to trucking industry allowances that won’t help decrease certain risks.”
In the case of Morgan’s accident, which caused the death of another passenger, the National Transportation Safety Board released a report saying the truck driver accused of causing the crash had not slept for 28 hours and was traveling 20 miles over the posted speed limit. Witherite says that although not all fatal truck crashes are determined to have resulted from these types of negligent actions “enough are to sound an alarm about why there should be more oversight for truckers as opposed to deregulation efforts.”
The attorney says that high profile truck accident cases like Morgan’s have done a lot to bring attention to issues that were long swept under the rug. The debate has also shined a light on the need for accountability for truck drivers and companies who fail to adhere to regulations that are currently in place. Witherite said previously in a blog post about related truck driver negligence concerns “Accountability can be enforced through penalties imposed by regulatory authorities, as well as personal injury lawsuits that require drivers and companies to compensate victims for damages.”
Time will tell whether enough pressure will lead Congress to deter from its current path and begin putting tighter restrictions in place to reduce truck accident fatalities and injuries in the U.S. overall.
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Media Contact:
Lucy Tiseo
Eberstein Witherite LLP
Phone: 866-774-5410
http://www.1800truckwreck.com/
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