Electronic Logging Devices Could Decrease Accident Rates
Electronic Logging Devices could prevent accidents
It is no secret that the trucking industry is often a very difficult industry in which to work. Truckers are often pushed beyond their limits. They drive long hours without adequate rest breaks in an effort to meet nearly impossible deadlines. Driver shortages and high turnover rates mean that truckers often end up doing more work than they can handle.
In effort to combat the dangerous conditions many truckers face, Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) are going to become a standard part of the trucking industry. ELDs monitor a trucker's performance and logs how long they have spent driving on the road. This will help regulate how often a driver works and will ensure that drivers do not spend more than 11 hours a day on the road. Too many accidents that occur on the road every year are caused by truckers who have had to work tiresome hours without a rest.
This final ruling on whether or not ELDs would be required came through in December 2015. The trucking industry has had the last two years to prepare for them. By December 18th, all trucks will be required to have this device. The Community Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has stepped up efforts to enforce this new regulation. However, a grace period will be in effect until April 1st, 2018. Between December and April, if a truck is pulled over and they do not have an ELD, the trucker and their company could face a fine and a citation. The CVSA supports this grace period, which will allow trucking companies to adjust to the new devices.
Though these devices have received a large amount of support from state and local levels, some independent truckers feel that these ELDs are an invasion of privacy. Some of these truckers, along with others, introduced a House bill last July to delay the enforcement of ELDs for another two years. However, as that bill has not yet been heard by the House, the ELD requirements are moving ahead as scheduled.
It is estimated that ELDs will cost about 2 million dollars to implement. The devices will prevent an estimated 1,844 crashes and 562 injuries, and save as many as 26 lives every year.
The trucking industry needs to be more regulated
There are more than 3 million trucks travelling across the country every day. A driver who is overworked and exhausted is a danger to him or herself, as well as others on the road. Devices such as Electronic Logging Devices that monitor just how long a driver has been behind the wheel can prevent truckers from having to spend an unhealthy number of hours behind the wheel. This sort of regulation will ensure that the truckers are better rested and more alert when they are behind the wheel. This in turn can lower the high employee turnover rate, as truckers who are not overworked are less likely to face burnout.
The trucking accident attorneys at Richard E. Lewis have seen what happens when an accident is caused by a truck driver who has been pushed too hard. The trucking industry should continue to take steps like this to increase the health and safety of the truckers on the road, as well as everyone else who shares the road with trucks.