As experienced Buffalo personal injury attorneys, we have seen the results of many serious accidents caused by driver fatigue. Because of concerns about fatigue among drivers of large vehicles, the federal government has regulated the work hours for interstate drivers of commercial motor vehicles for many years. Following multiple fatal tour bus accidents this year, members of the U.S. Senate are now calling upon the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to apply the same rules to commercial bus drivers.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates both commercial truckers and bus drivers, but the regulations are not currently the same. In 2003, the Administration changed the required time-off hours between shifts for truck drivers from eight to ten hours. The bus industry lobbied against this change as financially detrimental to the bus industry and was granted an exemption.
Within a year after the change to truck driver hours, the number of truck accidents decreased by four percent nationally and driver injuries fell by 13 percent. The bus industry, however, continues to argue that bus drivers do not need this extra two hours of rest because they make more frequent stops than truck drivers and can rest during these stops.
The Senators sponsoring this change believe that the Department of Transportation could change the regulation under its existing authority without any change to the law being necessary.
If you have been injured in an accident with a truck or bus, we would be happy to help you. Please call us at716-542-544.
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