Texas Weighs the Impact of New Truck Safety Bills
Proposed legislation considered by the Texas state legislature regarding electronic logging devices and driver education may have an impact on truck safety.
Electronic Logging Devices
Electronic logging devices (ELDs) are intended to ensure compliance with the hours of service requirements mandated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These devices prevent truck drivers from underreporting the hours they spend on the road by maintaining an electronic record of their activity.
Previous legislation requires Texas intrastate motor carriers to install ELDs in their commercial motor vehicles by December 16, 2019. However, a bill currently under consideration, HB153, would exempt intrastate operators transporting agricultural goods from the electronic logging requirement. Advocates of this exemption argue that the ELD requirement creates an unreasonable burden for small trucking companies, but the lack of ELDs in these vehicles may compromise safety.
According to the FMCSA, the ELD mandate produced a decline in hours of service violations of more than 50 percent during the timeframe of May 2017–May 2018.
Truck Safety Education
Pending legislation in Texas, HB105 also requires the state to include information about oversize and overweight vehicles in driver education and safety courses.
This information would include instruction regarding safe following distances and safe passing methods in the curriculum of each driver education course and driving safety course. Hopefully, this additional education will help drivers avoid tragic truck collisions.
You Need an Attorney
Texas laws and regulations pertaining to truck safety are constantly changing, but the rights of truck accident victims remain the same. If you were injured in a truck collision, you might be entitled to receive compensation for medical bills, time missed from work, and pain and suffering.
You need an experienced personal injury attorney who’s prepared to fight for you and the compensation you deserve. To learn more about what the law offices of Steve M. Lee, P.C., can do for you, visit us on Facebook.