South Carolina Truck Accident Attorney at McGowan, Hood and Felder, LLC Comments on Truck Driver Rest Regulations
Columbia, SC (PRWEB) March 18, 2015 -- South Carolina truck accident attorney S. Randall Hood said today he supports recent comments made by the acting chief of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration who defended rules aimed at requiring more rest for truck drivers.
The lawyer at McGowan, Hood and Felder, LLC commented on a March 4 report in Insurance Journal titled “Trucking Safety Chief Defends Driver Rest Regulations.”
“As an experienced attorney who has represented victims of truck accidents, I know how devastating these crashes can be,” Hood said. “People injured and families who lose loved ones in truck accidents often face a grim and uncertain future. As attorneys, we work hard to make sure they obtain fair compensation for their losses. Certain catastrophic injuries from truck accidents can cost victims millions of dollars over the course of a lifetime. At McGowan, Hood & Felder, we support strong regulations for the trucking industry. We know that strict oversight of the industry saves lives.”
According to the Insurance Journal, Scott Darling, the FMCSA acting chief, spoke out at a hearing of the Senate subcommittee on surface transportation. Darling defended the rules aimed at requiring more rest, including consecutive nights during a 34-hour end-of-the-week break. According to Insurance Journal, Congress in 2014 suspended the rest rules for a year and mandated research about the effect of forcing more trucks onto the road during the morning rush hour.
Darling said the FMCSA is unaware of any findings that suggest the 2011 rule forced drivers to shift their work schedules from operating at night to operating during the day.
Darling’s comments came at a Congressional hearing which examined ways to reduce truck driver fatigue, according to Insurance Journal.
Attorney Hood said it’s critical for truck drivers to be adequately rested to avoid causing accidents.
According to Insurance Journal, an official with the National Transportation Safety Board cited a 2006 study that found that as much as 24 percent of fatal truck crashes involve moderate to severe drowsiness. Insurance Journal cited a Transportation Department report released in December that found that 3,964 people died in truck-related highway accidents in 2013.
“There’s no question that tired drivers are dangerous drivers,” Hood said. “Truck driver fatigue is one of the most common causes of truck accidents. The Hours of Service regulations, which limit the number of hours drivers can operate, were created to prevent accidents. The trucking industry wants to loosen the regulations because it boosts their profits. If our lawmakers allow truck drivers to spend more time behind the wheel, they will be putting the interests of the trucking industry ahead of the safety of the public.”
Hood said people who are injured and families who lose loved ones in truck accidents should seek the advice of legal counsel as soon as possible. He said experienced attorneys can fight to hold the negligent trucking company accountable and send a message that the careless or reckless actions that caused the accident will not be tolerated.
About McGowan, Hood and Felder, LLC
McGowan, Hood and Felder, LLC has a well-earned reputation for being an experienced South Carolina personal injury law firm that delivers results. With offices in Anderson, Columbia, Rock Hill, Sumter and Georgetown, the law firm handles a range of cases throughout South Carolina, including truck accidents, car accidents, motorcycle accidents, nursing home abuse, nursing home neglect, construction accidents, medical malpractice, dangerous drugs, dangerous medical devices and more. The law firm works on a contingency fee basis, which means clients only pay attorney fees if there is a successful verdict or settlement.
If you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident, call (803) 779-0100 for a free consultation. You can also complete the online contact form.
McGowan, Hood and Felder, LLC
1517 Hampton St
Columbia, SC 29201
http://www.mcgowanhood.com/
Jacob M Del Hagen, Big Voodoo Interactive, http://www.bigvoodoo.com, +1 (413) 650-0593, [email protected]
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