West Virginia drivers may have been impacted by the Brake Safety Day that took place on May 3. This unannounced check caused nearly 2,000 trucks to be sidelined in 33 states and 10 Canadian provinces where inspections took place. A total of 9,524 inspections took place with 1,989 trucks being taken out of service. Of those trucks taken out of service, 1,146 were related to brake violations.
Deadly tractor-trailer crashes becoming more common
There was an alarming increase in the number of fatal accidents involving tractor-trailers and buses in West Virginia and around the country in 2015 according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Statistics indicates that 4,311 large trucks and buses were involved in deadly crashes in 2015, which is a worrying 8 percent increase over the 2014 figures according to the federal safety watchdog.
Rule will require more driver training
West Virginia truck drivers who receive their commercial driver's licenses after Feb. 7, 2020 will be trained under new regulations that have almost three years in which to take effect. The rule took effect on June 5 after a five-month delay as a result of an order by President Trump to review regulations.
Attorneys at Farmer Cline & Campbell receive recognition
The law firm of Farmer Cline & Campbell PLLC is proud to announce the recent achievements of attorneys Stephen B. Farmer, Robert A. Campbell, Jeffrey Jones, R. Chad Duffield and Matthew Nelson. Because of their high level of skill in representing their clients, they have been recognized by the legal community for being among the top attorneys in the state of West Virginia.
Annual truck inspection event focuses on load securement
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has planned another 72-hour International Roadcheck spree of inspections. West Virginia truck drivers will be subject to compliance checks, enforcement and educational reminders. To prevent the loss of cargo during transit, inspectors will focus heavily on load securement in this year's event.
Sleep apnea rules may be on the way for truck drivers
Despite the anti-regulatory push that is currently ongoing in the Trump administration, truck drivers in West Virginia and around the country may still expect new rules to be put in place for drivers who have sleep apnea. This is because the Supreme Court of the United States denied a writ of certiorari that was filed by a trucker who sued his carrier for asking that he undergo testing for sleep apnea.
Tests show the safety benefits of side underride guards
Tests conducted by a nonprofit safety organization indicate that lives could be saved in West Virginia and around the country if semi-tractor trailer operators were required to install side-mounted underride guards on their vehicles. Lawmakers are considering adopting regulations that would mandate the installation of rear-mounted underride guards on large trucks, but the IIHS test results indicate that side-mounted guards offer the same kind of safety benefits.
FMCSA considers autonomous truck regulation
Autonomous trucks may soon be a common sight on the roads of West Virginia, but government agencies and industry groups have yet to decide how they should be regulated and how current rules should be modified to accommodate them. These issues were discussed during a session hosted by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance on April 24, and a number of trade and road safety advocacy organizations made their feelings known to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration representatives in attendance.
Majority of fatal large truck crashes occur on rural roads
West Virginia commercial truck drivers face challenges when navigating heavy traffic, but rural roads appear to present the greatest hazards. According to a report from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 60 percent of fatal truck accidents happened on rural roads in 2015 compared to only 25 percent on interstate highways.
CVSA announces focus of 2017 International Roadcheck campaign
Truck drivers in West Virginia and all around the country can expect 72 hours of increased scrutiny beginning on June 6 as the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance launches its annual International Roadcheck safety initiative. The organization announced on March 13 that the focus of this year's safety blitz will be cargo securement. During the 2016 International Roadcheck event, CVSA staff carried out 62,796 inspections.
