The government sought public opinion on a proposal to regulate the screening and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea among railroad workers and truck drivers before moving ahead with the rule. Truck drivers in West Virginia probably will not be surprised that opinions were mixed.
Sleep apnea screenings proposed for truckers
Commercial trucks may be forced to go slower
Commercial vehicle drivers in West Virginia and throughout the country may be subject to stricter laws regarding speeds. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration are proposing a rule that would decrease the speed that such vehicles could actually travel.
Safe driver week coming in October
Working with law enforcement agencies in West Virginia and across the country, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance will hold its safe driver week from Oct. 16 to 22. During that week, law enforcement agencies across the country will step up enforcement of traffic laws while also engaging in educational efforts about safe driving behaviors.
The pros and cons of settling a truck accident lawsuit
Truck accident lawsuits in West Virginia and around the country are often initiated by individuals who have suffered catastrophic injuries or by the surviving family members of deceased accident victims. While plaintiffs may be awarded considerable damages should they prevail in court, there is always an element of unpredictability with civil trials. The defendants in these cases may wish to settle matters quickly to avoid the publicity of a trial, and any offer they make is likely to include no fault or no admission of fault provision.
Autonomous tractor-trailer steering and braking system unveiled
Accidents involving semi-tractor trailers are a common occurrence on West Virginia highways, and many of these crashes happen when truck drivers find themselves in an emergency situation and do not have enough time to weigh their options and take evasive action. Computers are able to process information and make decisions much more quickly than the human brain, and truck parts makers the ZF Group and WABCO Vehicle Control Systems unveiled an autonomous crash avoidance system for tractor-trailers on June 28 that they hope will save lives by preventing rear-end collisions.
FMSCA releases 2014 crash data
A collision with a large truck on a West Virginia road can result in serious injuries that are sometimes fatal. The Federal Motor Carrier has released its report covering 2014 commercial vehicle crashes, and it shows that while fatal accidents were down from the previous year, the number of crashes that caused injuries that were not fatal increased.
New trucking regulations delayed
Trucking companies in West Virginia and around the will have more time before they are required to comply with new regulations proposed by the Department of Transportation. In its monthly update, the DOT confirmed that two new rules it had proposed have been delayed. The proposed regulations concern speed limiters and a database for truckers who have failed or refused to take a drug or alcohol test.
Fatigued driving and commercial trucks
Truck drivers in West Virginia have to follow numerous regulations, which are meant to help reduce the likelihood of their causing accidents. Truck accidents are especially dangerous to others because how much larger and heavier trucks are compared to passenger cars. This means that when a truck driver is involved in an accident, people are likelier to either be killed or seriously injured.
New CDL requirements proposed by federal safety agency
West Virginians are injured each year in accidents involving commercial vehicles, and these crashes are sometimes blamed on inexperienced or poorly trained drivers of those vehicles. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is tasked with ensuring that those who drive semi-tractor trailers, buses or tankers are capable of safely handling the large and heavy vehicles at their command, and the safety agency has proposed a more thorough curriculum for those hoping to earn a commercial driver's license.
Man driving truck in Tracy Morgan crash faces criminal charges
West Virginia residents may recall the June 2014 incident that seriously injured comedian Tracy Morgan and took the life of a man in the same limo bus that he was in. It has been reported that the man who had been driving the Wal-Mart truck that hit the vehicle occupied by Morgan has been charged with various crimes relating to the accident.
