The trucking industry throughout the nation is approaching the deadline for complying with a divisive safety measure. According to regulations recently passed at the federal level, the entire trucking has roughly 18 more months to implement electronic tracking technology that will record the miles and hours driven with greater accuracy.
The measure is in response to growing concern over untenable work conditions for drivers who are on the road for unsafe lengths of time, often causing serious damage to themselves or others. The newly required tracking devices will allow for stricter enforcing on drive time limits. While the technology has been on the market for a number of years, the transportation industry has been reticent to adopt it amid fighting over who will bear the cost of implementation and some concerns over ways in which the tracking technology may invade the privacy of drivers.
These cost-related concerns are not only in regard to the tangible cost of the technology and having it installed. Some parties anticipate that the increased scrutiny to time logs and safe driver behavior will depress the industry as a whole by reducing the amount of time that trucks are on the road. This additional safety for all drivers on the road may imply an overall loss of productivity across the industry.
Trucking accidents can be some of the most devastating traffic accidents to occur, due to the enormous size of freight trucks compared to other vehicles on a road. For anyone who as been involved in a traffic accident involving a freight truck, the guidance of an experienced, qualified legal professional familiar with the industry can help protect the rights of those involved in the accident and ensure the fairest outcome possible.
Source: WSJ.com, “Truckers Get Two-Year Deadline for Electronic Logging Devices,” Loretta Chao, accessed July 07, 2016
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