Semi Truck Safety Concerns Grow
According to CNN.com, the semi truck that rear-ended the limousine carrying comedian Tracy Morgan was traveling 20 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, and the driver of the semi truck was approaching federal limits on how long he could operate the semi truck. Police have filed a criminal complaint accusing the Wal-Mart semi truck driver of driving while fatigued and being awake for more than 24 consecutive hours at the time of the semi truck accident.
A semi truck safety report published by the National Transportation Safety Board stated that the semi truck driver failed to notice one sign warning of lane closings ahead and a second sign reducing the posted speed limit from 55 miles per hour to 45 miles per hour. The semi truck smashed into the rear of the limousine, and the two vehicles were involved in impacts with other cars.
Driver Fatigue Among the Common Causes of Semi Truck Accidents
Nearly 20 percent of all accidents caused by semi trucks in the U.S. are the result of driver fatigue, according to the FMCSA. While many believe that there are more occurrences of semi truck accidents than traditional passenger cars, semi trucks are involved in fewer crashes per every 100 million miles than other vehicles. However, driver fatigue is one of the most common causes of semi truck accidents as many drivers are sometimes expected to meet unrealistic delivery schedules.
Truck drivers may feel pressured from the trucking company to travel a certain distance before stopping, and many have allegedly been threatened with job termination if they fail to drive as ordered. As a result, truck drivers may not stop to rest or to take breaks as required by the semi truck safety regulations established by the FMCSA and are at risk of causing semi truck accidents should they doze off behind the wheel.
FMCSA Reports New Findings from Hours-of-Service Recorder Study
In June 2014, the FMCSA found that semi trucks that are equipped with electronic hours-of-service recording devices are less likely to become involved in accidents or to violate the agency’s semi truck safety regulations. According to the report, EHSR-equipped semi trucks had 53 percent fewer hours of service violations as well as a 49 percent lower rate of violations pertaining to non-driving hours of service violations. The purpose of the semi truck safety study was to analyze the possible benefits of the devices as many trucking companies have been lobbying to keep this technology off of their commercial vehicles.
Have You Been Injured in a Semi Truck Accident in Iowa? Contact Us Today
Attorney Group for Iowa can review your case, free of charge, if you have been injured in a semi truck accident in Iowa and wish to learn more about your legal options. We can help answer questions you may have and connect you with one of our local affiliated attorneys in Iowa who can assist you in pursuing your claim.
