Congress May Block New Electronic Recorder Mandate for Trucks

President Obama signed a bill requiring electronic recording devices on all commercial vehicles, but Congress may undermine this requirement by refusing funding.

2012-08-19

August 19, 2012 (Press-News.org) The federal government is constantly working to increase the safety of all people on the road by implementing safety rules for trucks and other commercial vehicles.

One way that this has been accomplished is by limiting the number of hours that a truck driver can be behind the wheel -- called hours of service rules -- to help cut down on driver fatigue. To record their hours, many drivers use a paper log, but some use electronic onboard recorders. In a short amount of time, however, all drivers will be required to have EOBR in their vehicles. A bill signed on July 6, 2012, by President Obama directs the Department of Transportation to mandate the use of EOBR.

Controversy Brewing

The American Trucking Association supports this bill, but another large trucking group, Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association, does not. This is why Congress is considering another bill with an amendment that will affect the EOBR mandate. This proposed bill prohibits the DOT from funding the implementation of EOBR. Without monetary help from the DOT, it will be extremely difficult for many drivers to comply with the EOBR mandate.

News reports claim that the amendment is not likely to pass in the Senate, but it is still a possibility. The Senate has shown strong support in the recent past for EOBR mandates, particularly the senators that are heavily involved in appropriations count themselves as strong supporters.

EOBR Important for Safety

It is important that drivers comply with hours of service requirements because fatigue has been cited as the number one cause of truck crashes in the past, according to one trucking company. The ATA notes that drivers who are already using EOBR have fewer violations of the hours of service requirements and better compliance with the federal rules.

Supporters of the EOBR mandate say that the devices are integral to increasing the safety of commercial trucks on our nation's roads. Even with those drivers and companies that maintain strong records, human error may lead to violations of the hours of service requirements causing drivers to be too fatigued to remain alert -- this is when crashes happen.

Hopefully, the government will continue to put the safety of people traveling on our nation's roads at the forefront. Truck crashes are harmful to all involved. People injured in truck crashes should consider contacting a personal injury attorney to help them seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Article provided by Akers Law Offices, PLLC
Visit us at www.akerslawoffices.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Women More Likely Than Men to Be Financially Harmed by Disability

2012-08-19

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 20 percent of American women have some form of disability. By age 65, the disability rate among women rises to nearly 50 percent. A new study from the State Farm Center for Women and Financial Services at The American College shows that women are actually much more likely than men to develop a disability that prevents them from being able to work. In fact, in the 10-year period between 1999 and 2009, women's Social Security Disability applications grew by 72 percent, while men saw a comparatively ...

Florida Lifeguard Fired for Helping to Save Drowning Beachgoer

2012-08-19

A lifeguard at a Florida beach was recently fired by his employer for helping save a drowning man. The lifeguard said that he was told a man was struggling in the water, so he left his post to help him. By the time he got to the section of beach where the man was, he had been pulled out of the water by other beachgoers. The lifeguard stayed with the man to help him until paramedics arrived. After the man was rushed to the hospital, the lifeguard returned to his post and was immediately fired by his employer. The lifeguard's employer has a policy that forbids lifeguards ...

Informed Consent is More Than Just Agreeing to a Medical Procedure

2012-08-19

Every person has a right to the personal integrity of his or her body. No one should ever be forced, coerced or misled into having his or her bodily integrity violated, but especially when it involves health care procedures and the medical professionals we trust. Pennsylvania law recognizes this and requires that "informed consent" be given prior to medical procedures being performed. People often only think of informed consent as the act of signing a piece of paper before undergoing a medical procedure; essentially, just officially agreeing to it. But informed ...

Deportation Takes a Tragic Toll on the Children of Immigrant Families

2012-08-19

Stability, continuity, a sense of belonging -- these features of daily life that most of us take for granted are essential to a child's emotional wellbeing. It's hard to imagine a child being ripped away from a beloved parent or another close family member at a young age. Yet, that's exactly what has been happening for a long time under U.S. immigration policy, and new research shows it is the children who are paying for it. Kids Fear That Their Life Could Be Uprooted At Any Moment According to a 2010 analysis from the Pew Hispanic center, an estimated 340,000 babies ...

New Law Allows Officers to More Easily Eavesdrop on People

2012-08-19

In the climactic scenes of crime thrillers, the "good guys," often portrayed by the police or someone within a criminal syndicate, wear a wire (a recording device) to catch the "bad guy" admitting to his crimes. In the movies, the bad guy often slips up and is recorded stating what the plan or crime is/was, and then the recording is used by prosecutors to convict the bad guy of various criminal charges. Until recently, a scene like this would not play out in Illinois, unless the police went before a judge, presented evidence and received authorization. ...

Wisconsin Supreme Court Issues New Ruling in Miranda Rights Case

2012-08-19

You've probably seen it on TV: the police arrest someone, and read them their "Miranda rights." But do you know as much as you should about what these rights really mean? Although they are sometimes referred to as "Miranda rights," the rights contained in a Miranda warning actually come from the U.S. Constitution and its state-level equivalent. The Miranda warning is a reminder that police must give to suspects before conducting any custodial questioning -- if police fail to give a Miranda warning, any incriminating statements that a suspect makes ...

Mental Health Needs of Aging Population Need Attention

2012-08-19

By 2030 Maryland and the rest of the nation can expect the population of seniors to be nearly double what it is today. Along with the increased number of elderly come increased health concerns, including the often-overlooked issue of mental health problems. Health care workers are already bracing for the wave of physical ailments that will need more attention as the population ages, but readiness to deal with additional mental health issues is lacking. A recent eye-opening study from the Institute of Medicine reports that there are not enough medical personnel trained ...

Women's Financial Stability Post-Divorce

2012-08-19

Following divorce, women typically suffer financially more than man and a percentage find themselves living in poverty. Women face challenges of entering a job market after possibly being absent for a number of years as well as the gender wage gap. Although women face unique struggles there are several ways to obtain stability. Updating Accounts An essential step after divorce is to change all records to reflect the divorce. Passports, driver's licenses, health insurance plans, bank accounts, credit cards and asset titles must all be changed to reflect any new life ...

VA Disability Benefit Backlog Growing Larger

2012-08-19

All qualified veterans with service-connected disabilities are entitled to receive veterans' disability benefits from the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Unfortunately, a huge backlog in the system means that many veterans are not getting their VA disability benefits as soon as they should be. As of July 2012, there were nearly 920,000 claims pending with the VA. Approximately 66 percent of those applicants had been waiting for more than 125 days. The backlog can be attributed to a number of different factors. New battlefield medical technology is allowing soldiers ...

Car Accidents in Connecticut Construction Zones: Causes and Remedies

2012-08-19

Backed up traffic. Flashing lights. Narrow, winding lanes and confusing signage. Navigating a construction zone can be a challenge even for the most experienced drivers. Car accidents in construction zones are all too common in Connecticut and throughout the United States. But, by knowing more about the threats they are likely to face, the steps drivers can take to help protect themselves and how to address the fallout after an accident, motorists can be prepared for whatever dangerous construction zones throw in their way. The Hazards of Construction Zones According ...

Congress May Block New Electronic Recorder Mandate for Trucks

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: