The 2019-2020 Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements released by the National Transportation Safety Board is composed of a total of 10 items, six of which concern the trucking industry. Truckers in North Carolina will want to know what the NTSB is recommending in its effort to improve traffic safety.
First, the NTSB has recommended several measures for the elimination of distracted driving. Those measures include the development of a feature that disables phones in moving vehicles and the banning of the non-emergency use of electronic portable devices (save for navigation software). The NTSB also recommends that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration create a plan to help reduce the use of impairing substances, such as synthetic cannabinoids, among truckers.
The list focuses on speeding and fatigued driving, too. In response, the NTSB is recommending the use of speed limiters and automated speed enforcement cameras. It is also asking the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to come up with performance standards and rules for forward-collision avoidance tech.
The NTSB additionally wants the FMCSA to identify truckers with a high risk for obstructive sleep apnea — a culprit in many fatigue-related crashes. OSA screening should be mandated for highway and rail personnel in positions that are considered safety sensitive.
Preventing truck accidents is crucial because they often result in catastrophic injuries and fatalities on the part of passenger vehicle occupants. Those who are injured in a crash that involved truck driver fatigue, impairment or negligence of another kind may be able to file a claim against the trucking company. The claim could lead to compensation for medical bills, vehicle repairs, lost wages and other losses. A lawyer could help negotiate for the settlement out of court.