Truck drivers have increasingly been the target of allegations of serious injuries and preventable accidents, prompting regulators to crack down. Drivers are required to follow a complex set of state and federal regulations regarding the time they spend on the road and how they operate the truck.
A new federal mandate requires them to use electronic logging devices. The government argues that the use of these logging devices can enhance safety, although truck drivers argue that it is more challenging for them to do their jobs as a result.
The electronic logging devices, according to the drivers, are violating their privacy.
This black box logs their personal information, their miles, their hours and where they are at, at all times. Some truck drivers say they don’t want to share this information because they feel as though it is similar to having a tracking device on the truck. They are protesting against this mandate handed down by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
The government agency argues that the mandate makes it easier to manage, track and gather data on the number of miles that are logged overall by truck drivers. According to the agency, the primary purpose of this federal mandate is to keep everyone on the road safe. Catastrophic trucking accidents are one of the leading causes of severe injuries and fatalities on American roadways.
While the economy is dependent on the work done by truck drivers, many of the accidents occurring with trucks have significant economic costs in addition to personal injuries..
Truck drivers argue that the electronic logging devices are problematic because they are only allowed to drive the vehicle 11 hours per day within a 14-hour window.
Truck drivers argue that this requirement doesn’t take into consideration multiple elements such as road conditions, traffic, and the physical or mental state the driver is in.
A monthly monitoring fee also has to be paid by the truck drivers who must additionally purchase the device. Truck drivers who are named as responsible in a personal injury lawsuit may be facing criminal and civil charges depending on the severity of the trucking accident.
Trucking accident lawsuits are notoriously complex because they often involve multiple potentially liable parties such as the company that provides the truck to the driver and the manufacturer of the truck.
When a trucking accident occurs, the consequences may last for years – many of the most severe injuries in vehicle accidents are drawn from trucking accidents specifically. Some victims may never recover in full or be able to return to their job after sustaining a catastrophic injury caused by a negligent truck driver..
If you’ve been involved in a trucking accident because of a negligent driver, you may have grounds to pursue a personal injury claim. Contact the experienced attorneys at McDonald Worley today.