Could Updated Regulations Have an Effect on Arkansas?
Arkansas has one of the highest fatal truck accident rates, per population, in the U.S.
For every 1 million people living in Arkansas, there are 24.75 fatal truck accidents per year, according to federal data. The national rate is about 13.5.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently issued its fall proposals to update trucking industry standards. It's not clear whether such proposals, if approved, would reduce truck accidents in Arkansas, but we can be hopeful.
The McDaniel Law Firm, PLC, has more than 50 years of combined legal experience handling tractor-trailer accident claims in Arkansas. We see firsthand how truck accidents upend lives and devastate families. Therefore, we welcome effective regulatory changes that reduce serious and fatal tractor-trailer accidents in Arkansas.
Remember: If you were injured or a loved one died in an Arkansas tractor-trailer accident, you can contact the McDaniel Law Firm for a free case consultation. At no cost to you, we can answer your crash-related legal questions, estimate the value of your claim, and help weigh your options.
Proposed regulations
The FMCSA is proposing about a dozen regulations and updates to improve highway safety. In the agency's fall "significant rule-making report," proposals address:
- Trucker health. Proposed Medical Examiners Handbook (MEH) updates would "use data and resources more effectively to identify unfit motor carriers and to remove them from the nation's roadways," the report says.
- Auto drive. Changes to keep pace with advances in automated driving systems (ADS) and how they are utilized in commercial vehicles. The proposal seeks to update ADS inspection, repair, and maintenance regulations to prioritize safety.
- Speed limiters. Should trucks that weigh over 26,000 lbs. capable of using speed-limiting technology be required to install and/or utilize such a system to set a maximum speed cap?
- Auto emergency brakes. Requiring or standardizing equipment performance and maintenance rules for automated emergency braking systems (AEB).
- Broker and freight forwarder financial responsibility. A regularly scheduled review to determine whether the current minimum financial responsibility and bond insurance requirements are adequate.
The FMCSA report also proposes regulation changes for trucks that routinely travel between the U.S. and Mexico, consumer complaints, trucker safety, registration, hiring application requirements, and face mask protocols.
Recent Arkansas tractor-trailer accidents
The proposed regulations have potential, but it's not clear how, if approved, they would impact truck accidents here. Arkansas has a unique relationship with trucking.
For one thing, the trucking industry is huge in The Natural State. About 1 out of every 10 jobs in Arkansas are related to the industry. The state is also at the crossroads of major trucking routes, I-40 and I-30.
Because of these factors and more, Arkansas experiences many tractor-trailer accidents. For example, since October, Arkansas traffic accidents involving tractor-trailers include:
- A driver was killed in a rear-end accident with a tractor-trailer on I-40 in rural Franklin County.
- Two people were killed in a multi-vehicle accident involving a tractor-trailer truck on US 65 near Pine Bluff.
We fight for injured tractor-trailer accident victims
McDaniel Law Firm, PLC, holds negligent truckers and trucking companies accountable for the injuries and fatalities they cause. If you were injured or a loved one died in an Arkansas tractor-trailer truck accident, our attorneys can protect your rights and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Our office is in Jonesboro, and we proudly serve clients throughout Northeast Arkansas, including Paragould, Craighead County, Lawrence County, Greene County, Mississippi County, Poinsett County, and all of Arkansas. We also serve clients in Southeast Missouri and Memphis, Tennessee.
Don't delay. A statute of limitations applies to truck accidents and wrongful death actions. A member of our team is available to hear from you right now. Contact us today to schedule your free case evaluation.
