Connecticut residents may be interested to learn of the spotty state of governmental regulations on the trucking industry despite four straight years of increases in fatal truck-involved accidents. Approximately 3,964 people were killed in 2013 alone.
The National Transportation Safety Board called on 2015’s Congress to pay attention to the statistics and implement more than 100 recommendations made by the agency. Among the actions called for, the agency is asking for Congress to impose tighter restrictions on such things as driver fatigue, an area which was weakened by 2014’s regulations.
The agency is further calling for Congress to enforce tighter regulation on commercial driving carriers that are found to be in violation of safety standards. Reportedly, 20 percent of all trucks stopped for routine inspections are found to have safety violations. The NTSB is highly concerned about driver fatigue and the lax safety measures that are currently in place, as many people are seriously injured or killed in truck accidents every year.
Truck accidents can result in catastrophic personal injury to other people, including such things as permanently disabling traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. As pointed out by the NTSB, the statistics demonstrate the need for Congress to act rather than to deregulate. People who suffer serious injuries due to the negligence of truck drivers may want to seek out the help of a personal injury attorney. An attorney may be able to hold both the truck driver as well as his or her commercial carrier employer civilly liable for the injuries and losses sustained due to the negligent driving.
