Washington DC Injury Attorney Blog

On February 16, 2012, the U.S. Department of Transportation proposed a new set of guidelines for distracted-driving, because in 2010, there were over 3,000 deaths as a result of distracted driving in the U.S..

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the guidelines would "not allow manual text messaging, internet browsing, social media, navigation destination entries, 10 digit phone dialing or displaying more than 30 character of texts unrelated to the driving task while the vehicle is in motion." The proposed guidelines would recommend auto makers to disable in-vehicle electronic devices (which include texting and hands-free cellphone calling) that are currently available to drivers while the vehicle is in motion. The guidelines would affect General Motors On-Star, Chryslers UConnect, and Fords Sync Technology, mostly.

There will be hearings in Washington, D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles in the next 60 days, for the automobile industries and the public to comment on the proposal set out by the U.S. Department of Transportation. After the 60 days, the NHTSA will issue the final guidelines.

Commercial truck accidents are on the rise and there has been an increase in the number of people killed in motor vehicle accidents involving commercial trucks nationwide. In 2010, there was an increase in fatal commercial and large truck accidents. The increase was 8.7 percent when compared to 2009 statistics reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This percentage means that in 2010, 3,675 motorists were killed as a result of accidents involving commercial trucks and buses.

This is an alarming rate when one considers that in 2010 motor vehicle fatalities decreased from previous years. The information provided by the NHTSA is causing safety groups and trucking industries to analyze and study ways to prevent future accidents from happening. These groups are urging the Senate to pass the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Enhancement Act of 2011. This new bill would add several new safety regulations for truck and bus operators. It would require commercial drivers to use electronic onboard recorders (EOBRs) in order to monitor their hours of service and reduce truck driver fatigue, it would increase the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) power to stop truck companies from re-opening once they have been closed down due to safety issues, and the new bill would also allow the alcohol and drug testing records of commercial operators to be disclosed to their employers. All the new regulations in the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Enhancement Act of 2011 would decrease the number of commercial truck and bus accidents.

If you are a loved one has been involved in an motor vehicle accident involving a truck, contact our office immediately so we can advise you of your options and help you obtain compensation for your injuries and other losses.