The nation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently announced changes to the agency’s Compliance Safety Accountability enforcement program. The changes will reportedly allow high-risk bus and trucking companies to be more easily identified and compliance issues to be dealt with in a speedier fashion. According to Anne Ferro, FMCSA Administrator, the changes were designed to make existing safety programs more effective. Although the number of deaths in crashes that involved commercial vehicles declined by nearly 5 percent in 2011, approximately 4,000 people are killed in such collisions annually.
The Compliance Safety Accountability enforcement program changes include improved hazardous materials carrier compliance requirements, altering the way in which a driver’s hours of service are logged, weighing hours of service logbook violations equally whether paper or electronic, taking into account cargo load violations when determining vehicle maintenance compliance, and including equipment violations found during pre-trip inspections in safety evaluations. Additionally, one to five miles per hour speeding violations will be abandoned in favor of more recently implemented speedometer regulations, and the program will endeavor to more accurately reflect the inspection type on all recorded bus and truck violations. The Compliance Safety Accountability enforcement program changes are scheduled to take effect in December 2012.
Prior to implementing the safety enforcement program changes, the FMCSA provided the public with four months during which to review and comment on the proposed changes. Approximately 14,000 bus and trucking carriers reportedly participated in the public preview. About 1,700 law enforcement officers also contributed their thoughts regarding proposed system updates. Further monitoring will allegedly be conducted by the FMCSA before the new requirements are made public.
When a tractor-trailer collides with a passenger vehicle, the resulting injures are often catastrophic or fatal. If you were hurt or someone you love was killed in a collision with an 18 wheeler, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your medical costs, suffering and pain, lost wages and benefits, temporary or permanent disability, and a variety of other damages. In some instances, you may also be awarded punitive damages. In the United States, the trucking industry is enormous. You shouldn’t have to fight them alone. If you were hurt in an accident with an 18 wheeler, you need an experienced Texas truck accident attorney on your side.
Contact the law firm of Carabin Shaw today if you were injured in a bus or tractor-trailer accident. Our hardworking Beeville personal injury lawyers are available to assist individuals who suffered a catastrophic injury or tragic loss on a Texas roadway. At Carabin Shaw, our skilled attorneys will answer any questions you may have and guide you through the legal process. Our capable lawyers represent clients who were injured through no fault of their own throughout the State of Texas including Laredo, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso, and Beaumont. To schedule a free initial consultation today with an attorney who will fight for you and your loved ones, call Carabin Shaw toll free at (800) 862-1260 or contact the law firm through our website.
More Blogs:
More Than One-Quarter Million SUVs Recalled in North America Over Fire Hazard, Texas Injury Lawyers Blog, August 19, 2012
Oil Refinery Explosions Place Workers and Nearby Residents at Risk in Texas and Nationwide, Texas Injury Lawyers Blog, August 13, 2012
Additional Resources:
FMCSA sharpens focus on Compliance Safety Accountability program, bulktransporter.com