Trucking Regulations Take Aim At Safety
As licensed drivers, we follow a certain set of rules that have been designed to keep us safe on the roads. These rules are fairly straightforward: we are expected to be properly licensed and our vehicles insured; we must follow posted speed limits and traffic laws; and we cannot drink and drive.
Commercial truckers face similar rules, but the entire trucking industry is heavily regulated. Each driver, truck, and trailer is bound by strict limitations that dictate what, when, and how materials and products can be carried. While these rules and regulations are designed to keep all motorist safe, the process for making these rules is complicated and not always clear.
Trucking Regulations That Focus on Safety
It’s always a challenge in any regulated commercial industry to ensure safety and maintain a sustainable business. Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations highlight this challenge and have impacted several industries—especially the trucking industry. Congress and safety advocates are in an ongoing battle with industry leaders to find acceptable regulations that make safety a priority without removing the flexibility that drivers need to avoid weather, traffic, and other complications. Here are two regulations being discussed that directly impact the trucking industry:
- One proposed regulation prohibits shippers from forcing drivers to deliver within a small window of time or risk severe penalties. This type of pressure puts drivers in the difficult position of choosing between following the rules or keeping their jobs—and driving when
- Legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate proposes that truck drivers to be paid by the hour instead of by the mile. Industry safety advocates are researching the impact that hourly pay could have on the industry (a move that the trucking industry strongly opposes). The legislation also proposes a study of truck drivers who drive many hours just to start their workday and the effects of that driving on their safety.
If you have been hurt in a truck accident, call truck accident attorney Steve Lee at 713-921-4171 to ensure that your rights are protected after your wreck!