New Federal Rule Targets Truck And Bus Drivers

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has recently adopted a new rule to make sure drivers get enough rest to operate safely.

2013-01-09

January 09, 2013 (Press-News.org) New federal rule targets truck and bus drivers

Commercial truck and bus drivers on Missouri's highways spend long hours behind the wheel. Mindful of public safety, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has recently adopted a new rule to make sure drivers get enough rest to operate safely.

Hours of service rules

The new rule, which went into effect June 1, 2012, supplements federal hours of service rules that apply to all licensed commercial drivers and the companies that employ them. Hours of service rules require that a driver can only drive a certain number of hours before taking a specified amount of time off to rest. The rules were designed to make driving safer for everyone by taking tired truckers and bus drivers off the roads, hopefully reducing the occurrence of dangerous truck accidents.

Commercial truck and bus companies are periodically reviewed for compliance with the hours of service rules. Compliance is documented in the drivers' logbooks and backed up with toll receipts and other verification of times and locations.

Under the new rule, commercial truck and bus companies with the most hours of service violations will have to install equipment that drivers will use to record their hours of driving and hours of rest.

Electronic on-board recorders

The devices, called electronic on-board recorders or EOBRs, will be required in all the commercial vehicles of interstate carriers with a 10 percent or greater rate of hours of service violations. About 5,700 truck and bus companies will be using EOBRs by the end of the first year that the new rule is in force.

The EOBRs periodically record the date, time and location of the vehicle, and drivers enter their duty status, whether driving or resting, into their EOBRs.

Taking safety seriously

The FMCSA has safety as its highest priority, according to an administrator. Future plans call for extending the requirement for EOBR use to a larger percentage of commercial carriers beyond the most serious hours of service violators.

The Secretary of the U.S. DOT remarked that the agency is committed to cracking down on drivers and companies that put others at risk on America's highways through risky driving practices. The hours of service restrictions are vital in keeping sleepy drivers off the highways and protecting everyone from their accident-prone behavior. The new rule puts teeth in the DOT's enforcement abilities.

Given the alarming number of commercial carriers that have been allowing their drivers to violate hours of service rules, Missouri motorists and their passengers are still at risk of becoming victims of truckers' negligent driving.

Injuries that result from a commercial carrier's negligence deserve compensation, and a Missouri personal injury attorney is the person to call for help in obtaining that compensation.

Article provided by Harper, Evans, Wade & Netemeyer
Visit us at http://www.lawmissouri.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

DUI Crackdowns in Colorado

2013-01-09

DUI crackdowns in Colorado Drinking and driving presents a very real threat to the safety of Colorado roads. Drivers who indulge in drinking festivities before getting behind the wheel of a car have slower reaction times and are considerably more likely to get into an accident. The Colorado Department of Transportation recognizes this threat and is working to reduce the number of accidents on Colorado roads. Holiday DUI Enforcement A DUI is defined in Colorado as driving with a blood alcohol level of .08% or higher. When law enforcement officials want to step up ...

Avoiding Medical Errors: Effectively Treating Kernicterus in Newborns

2013-01-09

Avoiding Medical Errors: Effectively Treating Kernicterus in Newborns Jaundice is a common condition among newborns whose livers are not yet mature enough to keep up with the body's production of bilirubin, a natural but potentially toxic chemical compound produced by the red blood cells. While jaundice often goes away on its own with little or no medical intervention, in severe cases it can lead to a devastating condition called kernicterus. Kernicterus occurs when severe jaundice is left untreated and excess bilirubin is deposited in the brain. Because bilirubin ...

Raising Awareness of the Benefits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Has to Offer

2013-01-09

Raising Awareness of the Benefits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Has to Offer As most Americans are aware, our country is currently going through one of the worst economic recessions in modern history. The job market has yet to rebound and business to business transactions have been slow to increase. As a result, individuals and businesses have struggled to keep pace with their bills and have built up hefty piles of debt. In response to their financial struggles, the U.S. Courts report that Americans have filed over 1.4 millions bankruptcy petitions each of the last several ...

Teens and Distracted Driving Accidents: A Majority Text Behind the Wheel

2013-01-09

Teens and Distracted Driving Accidents: A Majority Text Behind the Wheel A common worry among parents with teenagers is the safety of their teenager when he or she begins to drive or ride with other teen drivers. Teenagers lack the experience of older drivers, and when the lack of driving experience is coupled with distracted driving the risk of a car accident is compounded. Even though many teenagers know that texting and using a cellphone behind the wheel is dangerous, many continue to do so, increasing their risks of being involved in car accidents. According to ...

Personal Injury Lawsuits Help Accident Victims Recover

2013-01-09

Personal Injury Lawsuits Help Accident Victims Recover Have you ever heard someone refer to car accident victims as the winners of a lottery? It's not a fair comparison. Getting into a car crash is not like winning the lottery because the lottery doesn't involve injury or death, and car crashes happen all too often. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a car accident occurs every 10 seconds in the United States. When a car accident strikes, the victim of the crash or his or her family may be able to file a lawsuit against the responsible ...

Jacksonville Increases Police Enforcement During Holiday Season

2013-01-09

Jacksonville increases police enforcement during holiday season The Jacksonville police force, as it does every year, increased enforcement during the holiday season, especially at local malls and shopping areas. Jacksonville police will be out both in uniform and in plain clothes. The idea is to cut down both on shoplifting and theft crimes, but also to keep shoppers safe from assault and robbery. Police will be working overtime through New Year's, and regular patrols will continue beyond that. Lt. Mike Capps told local news station WITN that the extra patrols are ...

Crimes in New York Related to Hurricane Sandy

2013-01-09

Crimes in New York related to Hurricane Sandy Hurricane Sandy will go down in history as a devastating event in this country. Although it has been several weeks since this tragedy, families all around the U.S. can still feel its effects. Homes and businesses are no longer standing, and many families have lost things they can never replace. Times like this can unify a country and can bring out the best in people who take the time to volunteer and help people they do not even know. But events like this can also bring out the worst in people. Accusations of looting during ...

Federal Grant May Make Connecticut Roads Safer

2013-01-09

Federal grant may make Connecticut roads safer Connecticut law enforcement agencies are the fortunate recipients of federal funds to help them apprehend drivers who flout anti-texting laws. The state of Connecticut is receiving $275,000 from the United States Department of Transportation for a pilot program geared at increasing the ability of police officers to spot drivers who are texting while driving. Why laws against texting matter According to the DOT, texting is a dangerous distraction implicated in numerous car accidents. The risk of having an accident is ...

5WPR Hired as PR Agency of Record by Do You Remember

2013-01-09

5WPR, one of the 25 largest independent public relations firms in the U.S., today announced the addition of Do You Remember to its diverse roster of corporate clients. Do You Remember is a company formed to capitalize on the public's insatiable need to engage in nostalgia. Despite the fact that everyone reminisces, there is no credible brand associated with nostalgia. The Do You Remember platform will connect users with past eras and events, childhoods and help bring back memories that bring people together. Do You Remember will soon launch DoYouRemember.com and several ...

Acclaimed New Age/Instrumental Pop Composer Curtis Macdonald Reveals His Heart & Soul on New CD Release "When Dreams Come True"

2013-01-09

The moments of American composer and pianist Curtis Macdonald's life throughout the years are interpreted on the CMMP contemporary instrumental album download and CD release "When Dreams Come True", a music collection that blends the essence of New Age, Jazz, and Pop into a pleasant listening experience. Available beginning January 8, 2013 on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby and various streaming radio services. Macdonald's signature style of memorable lyrical piano melodies over transparent electronic arrangements takes the listener on a journey into the artist's personal ...