In a previous post, we discussed how federal safety officials wanted to require electronic on-board recorders to be installed on trucks. This was to address the concern that truck drivers were fatigued behind the wheel, increasing the risk of causing a truck accident. The trucking industry challenged the requirement.
Now the trucking industry is challenging yet another rule that addresses truck driver fatigue. Citing an improper focus and failure to meet legal standards, the trucking industry is challenging a rule that requires truck drivers to rest for a period of 34 hours each week.
A spokesperson for the American Trucking Associations noted that this requirement would actually create more safety concerns. Given the required length of break time, truck drivers would actually be forced to drive in heavy traffic. Drivers would no longer have the same flexibility to decide when to be on the road.
The ATA has also stated that serious truck accidents, including fatal accidents, are more often caused by speeding truck drivers rather than fatigued drivers. According to them, the regulation places too much emphasis on truck driver fatigue instead of addressing the issue of speeding.
Should the emphasis be placed on driver fatigue or driver speeding? If there are statistics that show accidents are caused by both, should the trucking industry consider taking measures to reduce the risk of accidents in both cases?
Truck accidents can cause serious damage. Trucks are much larger than any other vehicle on the road and victims of accidents are often faced with severe injuries or even death. Victims and their loved ones suffer, regardless of whether the accident was caused by a tired truck driver or a speeding driver.
Source: Bloomberg, "Trucking Industry Challenges U.S. on Driver Rest Rules," Jeff Plungis, Feb. 14, 2012
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