For most residents of the Wilmington area, health is an important area of concern in life. For truck drivers and others who make their living in the transportation industry, health can affect not only one’s job performance but also the safety of others. According to a recent report, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) included driver health among its top priorities for potential federal trucking regulations of the future.
There are lots of federal trucking regulations already in existence. The purpose behind many is to prevent dangerous truck accidents. Earlier this month, the NTSB released a list of “most wanted” regulations for trucking safety. These suggestions for regulations include a comprehensive approach to truck driver fatigue. A sleepy and inattentive truck driver can cause serious injuries or claim a life all too easily. It only takes a moment of inattention for a semi truck accident to alter the lives of everyone involved. As a result, the NTSB says that tackling the problem may require a combination of hours of service rules, scheduling policies, technological innovations, treatment of drivers’ sleep disorders and education as well as research and training.
In addition to their recommendation that driver fatigue be addressed in a thorough manner, the NTSB’s list also included technology that can help stave off collisions. According to the NTSB, federal agencies can help by not only developing standards of performance for these technologies, such as adaptive cruise control and blind stop detection, but also effectively gauge their capabilities.
Some may be surprised to learn that the NTSB does not have regulatory power, despite the fact that it is a government agency. Still, the NTSB’s recommendations are taken seriously by those who legislate on the subject of transportation regulations. For those who have already been in the unfortunate position of truck accident victim, receiving advice from an attorney can be of help. In some circumstances, victims of truck accidents can pursue compensation. A truck accident lawyer may be able to determine if negligence is behind a damaging wreck.
Source: Commercial Carrier Journal, “NTSB’s Annual ‘most wanted’ list names driver fatigue, driver health, safety tech as top priorities for regulators,” Matt Cole, Jan. 14, 2016
