Although the majority of the drivers and companies in Ohio and across the U.S. are vigilant in making sure that they adhere to proper safety procedures, there are still dangers of a truck accident. Given the size of these vehicles, the speeds at which they travel and other factors, it is unavoidable that some truck accidents will result in serious injuries and death.
Because truck accidents can be so dangerous, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has certain protections in place to make sure that truckers and trucks are complying with the law. Part of that is the Safety Management System.
Federal trucking regulations data that is used is based on roadside inspections and a census that the FMCSA conducts to determine how drivers have performed with regard to certain safety categories. This follows the Behavior and Safety Improvement Categories, which include the following: unsafe driving; compliance to hours of service regulations; driver fitness; controlled substance and alcohol use; maintenance of vehicles; compliance for hazardous materials; and crash indicator.
Unsafe driving includes commercial vehicles being operated dangerously or negligently and can involve speeding, changing lanes improperly and failing to pay attention. Hours of service means that drivers must adhere to the rules for rest and time spent on the road. Drivers must keep a log of when they are driving and resting with new methods such as electronic logs, to help with honesty and transparency in the records. Driver fitness can include being unfit for duty because of failure to have been trained properly, a lack of experience, medical issues and other problems. Substances and alcohol use are, obviously, drivers who have used these substances and been caught or had accidents because of it.
Negligent truck maintenance means not making sure the truck is in good enough shape to be on the road and that it is up to standards for vehicle care and safety.
Drivers who have a high incidence of crashes are assessed based on reported accidents. A collision with a truck can occur for many reasons. Those who were involved must be aware of the rules that commercial trucks must follow and if a failure played a part in the accident. Speaking to an attorney can help with an investigation and pursuing a legal claim for compensation.
Source: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, "Safety Measurement System," accessed on Feb. 1, 2016
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