New FMCSA Rule Could Mean More Truck Accidents
The Bush administration has finalized an FMCSA drafted rule that upholds the same number of hours a truck driver can work as previous regulations, but truck safety advocates say it will do nothing to stop the number of truck accidents in the country. The rule will limit the number of consecutive hours a truck driver can work to 14, and stipulates that 11 hours of these be spent behind the wheel. The administration says reverting to the old rules that limited the number of work hours that truckers could drive to 10 daily were not feasible, as they were contributing to a yearly loss of $2.4 billion for the trucking industry.
As the administration tries to push through these regulations in a mad rush before it vacates office, truck safety groups and trucker groups continue to worry that these long hours on the job are not good for truckers nor for highway safety. The administration claims that studies have proved that accident rates have declined since the longer work hour rule was introduced.
Most of the studies that the administration is relying on have been funded by the government, and there is also very little inclusion of other factors that cause accidents, like the general health of the driver, driver fatigue, any non driving work that truck drivers indulge in, as well as the role of pay in truck driver morale, and consequently, safety. Besides, there are studies that show that a disturbing number of truck drivers are likely to lie on the log books, and work more than the stipulated 14 hours. Long haul truckers who've been in the business for a while claim that log book manipulation has been around for a while, and it's not uncommon to have a truck driver work for close to 80 hours per week.
Meanwhile, concerned citizens are joining in concerted efforts to fight the administration's rule.
Although the number of truck accidents has declined, there are still far too many truck accident related fatalities on our highways, compared to passenger car and other traffic accident related fatalities. Any rule that hopes for a change in this situation must take into consideration the unique duties and responsibilities of truck drivers – long hours staring at the road ahead without a break, time away from family, lack of sleep, rest, and timely meal breaks. All these affect a truck driver's capacity, and must form the basis of a long term policy on trucking work hours, hopefully by the new administration. Any losses to the trucking industry must not be an excuse for putting truck drivers' health, and the lives and safety of countless motorists on the streets, at risk.
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