Non-compliant Trucking Companies Will Be Required to Install Electronic Recorders on Semi Trucks
According to a new regulation from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that will go into effect in 2012, certain trucking companies will be required to install electronic on board recorders on their commercial tractor trailers. The regulation will require those trucking companies that have a 10% or higher hours of service violation rate to install the devices. Hours of service rules limit the number of hours semi truck drivers can be driving and/or on duty before they must take a break. Semi truck drivers are required to log their time driving, on duty and off duty so it can be determine whether or not they are complying with the hours of service regulations. The idea is that semi truck drivers who drive over hours become fatigued which leads to serious injury and fatal accidents. Trucking companies with more hours of service violations also tend to be involved in more serious accidents.
Electronic devices that can be installed on semi trucks and other vehicles can record a variety of data about the vehicle. They can also provide important information after a crash that can allow personal injury and wrongful death lawyers to determine how a crash occurred and learn important information about the time period leading up to the crash. According to the new regulation, the required electronic on board recorders will record, among other things, date, time, location and distance traveled. This information is very helpful in determining when, where and how long a semi truck driver has been driving and whether he/she is following the hours of service rules. Without the electronic on board recorders, one has to rely on the manually written log books of the drivers to determine these facts. As you might expect, these logs are often not done or done inaccurately, either intentionally or unintentionally. When dealing with people who typically get paid more the more they drive, you can expect that they may not always be compliant with rules that limit their driving time. This is particularly true after a serious accident when they know DOT officials and personal injury/wrongful death lawyers will be looking closely at their records and driving history to determine why the accident occurred.
