Proposed Law: Fine Truckers for Uncleared Snow, Ice

A law proposed by state Senator Lisa Boscola would impose fines on truck drivers who do not clear ice and snow from their vehicles before driving.

In the winter, it’s common to see chunks of ice and snow flying off the tops of large trucks as they go barreling down the highway.  For drivers traveling behind these trucks, frozen projectiles can hit their windshields and obstruct their vision, or even cause damage. Or, drivers might swerve to avoid being hit, and get into an accident. The proposed bill has been re-introduced with safety in mind. In 2005, a woman from Jim Thorpe, PA, was killed when a chunk of ice dislodged and flew into her windshield.

Under the current law, truck drivers are only penalized if someone gets seriously injured or killed.  Fines range from $200-$1,000 for each offense. […]

Boston and New York leading the way toward safer streets

New laws in Boston and New York to help prevent fatalities from truck accidents and pedestrian deaths

Steven Gursten of the Michigan Auto Law blog has a great post about truck safety. A few months ago, Boston became the first US city to require side guards on large commercial trucks. The purpose of the side-guard is to prevent other vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians from becoming caught underneath trucks.

Why is this important? Well, “underride” accidents are actually a serious concern. Underrides occur when a smaller vehicle becomes caught under the back of a truck in the event of a crash. Most trucks have underride bars, which are designed to prevent this from happening. When they function correctly, they can prevent significant injury. When they fail, passengers inside the smaller vehicle can be crushed, killed, or decapitated. […]

Trucker rest rule suspension puts all drivers at risk

WATCH: Attorney Dan Munley weighs in on the suspension of trucker rest laws and what it means for other drivers on the road.

Last month, we covered the breaking news that the federal government moved to suspend certain laws that had been put in place just a year earlier regarding rest requirements the maximum weekly hours of operation for truck drivers. The previous law required that the 34-hour interim between work weeks include at least two periods between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. – this was intended to provide truckers with the opportunity to get more sleep before getting back at the wheel. Now, the break between work weeks need only include one 1 a.m. -5 a.m. period. Thus, truck drivers may begin a work week having gotten less sleep, and that work week may be as long as 80 hours. […]

9 cars and 9 trucks in deadly pileup during snow squall

On Wednesday, a sudden snow squall lead to an 18-vehicle pileup on Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania. This was the third in a series of similar accidents in one week. When it comes to winter driving concerns, “snow squall” seems to be the latest buzzword.

While driving this week, you may have noticed signs on the highways flashing “be alert for snow squalls.”  What makes a snow “squall” different from typical snowfall? Snow squalls tend to appear more suddenly, and therefore pose a different kind of danger. In a matter of a few moments, drivers can suddenly find themselves in white-out conditions and get caught off guard. Roads that are completely dry one minute can be covered and slippery just a few minutes later.  Drivers who do not adjust their speed and take extra care can end up in an accident. […]

New truck driver rest rules: a step backward?

Just last year,  new laws were put in place regarding the number of hours commercial truck drivers can spend on the road during the work week. The laws were designed to decrease the number of accidents caused by sleep-deprived drivers dozing off at the wheel, and thus promote public safety. Under the 2013 laws, drivers were allowed to drive for a maximum of 11 hours per day, and 70 hours per week. Drivers who reached the 70-hour maximum within a week could resume work only after taking a 34-hour break, including two nights of rest from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.

This week, however, a provision included in the new spending bill passed by Congress will suspend some of these safety rules, pending a study of their effectiveness. Under the new rules, truckers could conceivably work up to 82 hours per week and are no longer required to have two nights of rest before returning to work. […]