Regulations Permit Less Rest Despite Driver Fatigue Cited as a Cause of Large Truck Crashes
New Jersey residents are all familiar with the serious truck accident that led to the near-fatal injuries incurred by comedian and actor Tracy Morgan, and the death of comedian Jimmy McNair. Recently, the lawsuit filed on behalf of Morgan, his assistant Jeffrey Millea, and fellow comic Ardie Fuqua, was settled by Wal-Mart, the owner of the tractor-trailer truck that crashed into the rear of the limo bus carrying the group. A lawsuit filed by the heirs of the fatally-injured comedian Jimmy McNair was also recently settled out of court. These settlements are reminders of the immense harm that a tractor-trailer can do to other vehicles on the road when operated negligently—even vehicles as large as a limo bus. Despite this fact, Congress took steps at the conclusion of last year to soften, rather than strengthen, regulations governing commercial truck drivers.
Morgan and his associates were injured in the June 2014 crash while driving on the New Jersey Turnpike after doing a comedy show in Delaware. The driver of Wal-Mart’s truck, Kevin Roper, was behind them, allegedly traveling at 65 mph in a 45 mph zone. At approximately 1 a.m., Roper crashed the semi into the rear of the limo bus. According to a preliminary report completed by the National Transportation Safety Board, Roper had logged 13 hours and 32 minutes of work by the time the crash occurred and was still 20 miles away from his destination when he hit the limo bus. The legal limit on a trucker’s shift is 14 hours worked in a day, with no more than 11 of that time to be spent driving.
The change in regulation regarding the amount of rest truckers must take was Included in last year’s Congressional appropriations bill. Professional truckers were previously required to take two full days of rest in between work weeks (defined as lasting up to 70 hours and up to six or seven consecutive days, for truckers). That rest period requirement was eliminated in the appropriations bill. A study is now being conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on how this reduced rest requirement is affecting professional truck drivers. While a number of regulations still govern how much rest truck drivers are required to take, driver fatigue remains a leading cause of large truck accidents. Another leading cause is truck driver use of stimulants and other drugs while behind the wheel, which is frequently related to trying to eliminate fatigue and stay on the road longer.
Injuries from accidents involving tractor-trailers and semi trucks can be extremely serious. These vehicles may have been operating in violation of relevant federal regulations when the accident occurred. If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in an accident with a large truck, find seasoned legal help so that you can recover any compensation you may be owed for your injuries. Contact Wayne, New Jersey truck accident attorneys at Massood Law Group for a no-cost consultation on your claims, at 844-4MB-HURT.
