Senator Makes Push for Tougher Trucking Regulations Following Comedian’s Crash
Texas truck wreck lawyers weigh in on U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer’s recent push for stricter trucking industry regulations.
DALLAS, TX, USA, July 3, 2014 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The recent fatal truck wreck involving actor and comedian Tracy Morgan has led to a call for tighter regulations within the trucking industry by lawmakers and safety advocates, say the truck wreck attorneys1 of the Ebersetin & Witherite firm. Morgan was critically injured in the crash that also resulted in the death of fellow comedian James McNair. The driver of the 18-wheeler, Kevin Roper, was speeding and had also been working several consecutive hours without sleep, according to a National Transportation Safety Board report.Tracy Morgan crash: NTSB says truck driver was speeding and had worked 13 hours straight
A report issued today by the National Transportation Safety Board said the driver of the rig that slammed into the van carrying Tracy Morgan — critically injuring the comedian and killing another passenger — was speeding and had been working more than 13 consecutive hours.
For more information about the Tracy Morgan crash, please visithttp://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2014/06/tracy_morgan_crash_ntsb_says_truck_driver_worked_for_13_hours_straight.html.
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer recently announced a plan to reduce the incidence of fatigued truck drivers being on the nations’ highways requesting that the U.S. Department of Transportation speed up a requirement that electronic devices be used to log the number of hours driven by truck drivers.
US Sen. Schumer wants tighter trucking regulations
“Schumer said electronic devices would help keep people from falsifying records…In 2010, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration suggested that such devices be installed in trucks, but the proposal has not been approved by the federal government.
“To have a rule like this, which affects the safety of the truck drivers themselves and every motorist on the road, languish for four years, is just too much,” Schumer said.”
For more information please visit http://news.yahoo.com/us-sen-schumer-wants-tighter-140128851.html;_ylt=A0SO8wsenqNTb3AA4ShXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTB0NDVzdGtnBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2dxMQR2dGlkA1ZJUDQ0M18x.
Schumer recently stated to a Manhattan news conference, “We know that fatigue is a huge issue in terms of the number of crashes, and you can't rely on companies to set the rules themselves, because they're going to be competitive.”
The truck wreck attorneys of the Texas based Eberstein & Witherite law firm say that stricter regulations could help save thousands of lives lost every year due to the negligence or misconduct of truck drivers and companies. Says Amy Witherite of the firm, “a majority of truck drivers currently manually log their driving time, leaving room open for inaccurate information to be reported.” Fatigue is a leading factor in numerous truck accident deaths, Witherite further notes.
The Eberstein & Witherite law firm is available to help individuals who have been injured in a Texas 18-wheeler accident caused by2 truck driver fatigue or other types of negligence or misconduct. Individuals can contact the firm today to request a free case review if they or a loved one has been injured in a truck wreck.
Brian Eberstein
Eberstein & Witherite Truck Wreck Lawyers
866-848-7908
email us here
1 http://www.ewtruckwrecklaw.com
2 http://www.ewtruckwrecklaw.com/18-wheeler/18-wheeler.html