The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance will conduct Brake Safety Week in California and across North America Sept. 15-21. During the initiative, CVSA officials will inspect commercial trucks and other vehicles to ensure they are free of critical brake violations.
Brake Safety Week takes aim at commercial trucks
Untreated sleep apnea puts truckers at risk
With trucking being such a high-stress industry, it's important that truckers get a sufficient amount of rest each night. Unfortunately, many truckers have a condition called obstructive sleep apnea, which, if left untreated, makes them five times more likely to crash than drivers who received treatment. California residents should know that between 17% and 28% of the 1.87 million nonfarming commercial truckers have at least a mild form of obstructive sleep apnea.
Speed limiters may soon be required in all new trucks
A bipartisan Senate bill may soon affect thousands of truck drivers in California and across the country. The bill, Cullum Owings Large Truck Safe Operating Speed Act of 2019, was developed by a Democratic and Republican senator. It would require that all newly produced Class 7 and Class 8 trucks be installed with speed-limiting devices.
Study finds many truck drivers may be using illegal drugs
Truck accidents in California and across the U.S. have been on the rise in recent years. One of the reasons for this could be drug use, according to a new study.
Comparing truck crashes to car crashes
Car accidents that take place on California highways may result in police reports, insurance claims and a lengthy investigation. While resolving a car accident case may seem complicated, it could pale in comparison to what it takes to resolve a truck accident case. This is because truck accidents tend to cause more damage than car wrecks do. Furthermore, there is a higher likelihood that one or more people are hurt or killed in such collisions.
Safety tech may be answer to rise in truck crash numbers
Many trucking companies in California and across the U.S. are looking to vehicle devices as a way to improve safety for both their employees and others on the road. These devices include collision warning systems, lane departure warning systems, in-cab cameras, truck event recorders and roll stability control.
Lack of training may lead truckers to tamper with safety tech
The annual meeting of the Technology & Maintenance Council took place in Atlanta, and there was a safety systems seminar held by the regional director of Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems. What he had to say may be of interest to truckers and truck fleet owners in California because it addresses a growing trend. Truckers are starting to disable or manipulate the safety tech that has been installed in their vehicles.
Many accidents nationwide are linked to truck driver fatigue
Like all drivers, truckers sometimes get drowsy while traveling on roadways in California and across the United States. However, due to the massive size of big rigs, truck driver fatigue poses an elevated threat to occupants of other vehicles.
2019 International Roadcheck focuses on steering, suspension
Every year, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance holds an inspection spree called the International Roadcheck for vehicle- and driver-related violations among CMV drivers. On average, 17 CMVs are inspected every minute during these sprees. Truck and bus drivers in California should know that the 2019 International Roadcheck is to be conducted from June 4 to 6.
Inaction puts drivers in danger
In 2017, there were 4,102 deaths caused by large truck accidents in California and throughout the country. The rate of fatal truck crashes is about three times higher than the overall fatal crash rate. Of those who were killed in large truck accidents in 2017, 17 percent were occupants of the trucks themselves. A further 68 percent of victims were occupants of cars or other passenger vehicles while the rest were pedestrians.
