Panama City Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

Our Panama City truck accident law firm regularly follows legal developments impacting the trucking industry, including court rulings and legislative measures. WJGH recently reported on the debate surrounding a truck-related federal proposal currently being considered by the United States Congress. The proposal is an attempt to enhance safety and avoid truck accidents in Panama City and across our nation, but trucking industry personnel have spoken out against passage of the measure.

Congress is considering the 2012 Surface Transportation Extension Act. One element of the proposed bill would mandate that all truck drivers install an Electronic On Board Recorder ("EORB") system. The automatic logging system would eliminate the use of paper logs to document big rig routes and times. Currently, Congress is trying to reconcile versions of the overall bill that the House and Senate have sent to a conference committee.

There are voices expressing opinions both in support and in opposition to the EORB proposal. One truck driver noted that he has driven for fifteen years and has had an EORB installed in his truck for the past year. He reported being uncomfortable with the device initially but said he has gotten used to it and now prefers it to paper logs. The driver noted the automated logs prevent drivers from cheating and fudging their records. In addition to the increased accountability, the driver noted that the EORB reduced paper work and increased safety because it limited the ability of employers and clients to request that he drive more than the law allows. However, other drivers have come out in opposition to the EORB mandate. One driver suggested that individual drivers might be responsible for purchasing an EORB, an additional cost that the driver felt was unnecessary.

Beyond their use in documenting routes for an employer, our Panama City truck accident lawyer knows that EORBs can be a valuable source of evidence after a truck accident. EORBs can record the time of the accident and the truck's speed prior to the collision. The EORB can also provide information about how long the driver had been behind the wheel at the time of the accident, evidence that can help prove fault in actions against both the driver and the driver's employer.

Driver fatigue is dangerous in any vehicle but particularly hazardous when the driver is piloting a large truck. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has strict rules limiting how long truck operators can drive and how much rest time is required between driving periods. Truck drivers who fail to take mandated breaks are more likely to be involved in serious crashes. Studies from the National Transportation Safety Board have found that more than half of all truck accidents involve driver fatigue. After eight hours of driving, the risk of a truck being involved in an accident doubles and the rate doubles again between ten and eleven hours of continuous operation.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a Panama City truck crash, please contact The Pittman Firm. Our attorney and legal support team can use EORB logs and other evidence to help you receive compensation for your accident-related injuries.

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Big Trucks and Injuries on Our Highways

Driver Health is Key to Safety

My years of practicing personal injury law have taught me some things about big trucks. One is that most drivers are afraid to be close to them. It's always good to be cautious, but if one is driving near a big rig driven by a highly trained professional driver, he's probably safer than when near SUV's and pick-ups driven by average drivers. Rarely will the good drivers exceed a speed limit. To the contrary, they'll slow down at the first sign of risk like a drizzle or road construction.

Safety mechanisms that everyone can apply to their driving habits can be learned by watching them. They keep their lights on during the day to make themselves more visible to other drivers. They drive far ahead of their rigs. By that, I mean they aren't just watching one or two cars ahead. They're looking down the road a tenth to a quarter of a mile to anticipate hazards developing, a car pulling out, a vehicle stopped on the side of the road, debris that might have to be avoided, or merging traffic.

On a divided highway, you'll see them driving in the right hand lane unless passing. And they will signal a lane change and move to the left to give merging traffic an opportunity to safely enter the highway and to give ample space to vehicles on the shoulder. The good drivers stop at rest areas to nap or to stretch. They check windshield wiper blades at frequent intervals, and they always have windshield washer solution in the reservoir to keep clean windshields for safe visibility. These are principles that all of us can apply to improve our driving safety and thereby avoid accidental injuries.

There are of course bad eighteen wheeler drivers just like there are bad drivers in every other kind of transportation. Some companies hire poorly trained drivers or drivers with terrible safety records. They keep hurting people. I sue those when they injure my clients, but I applaud and learn from the good truckers every time I drive. We must recognize the difference between them.