Tennessee Truck Accident Attorney G. Turner Howard III Comments on University of Tennessee Study on Hours-of-Service Rules
Knoxville, TN (PRWEB) January 26, 2014 -- Commenting on a University of Tennessee study that suggests trucking industry changes may increase shipping time and boost costs for customers, Tennessee truck accident lawyer G. Turner Howard III said today that higher costs are a small price to pay to ensure the safety of drivers across the state.
Howard commented on an article in Tennessee Today (“Study: New Trucker Rest Rules Could Mean Higher Consumer Costs,” Dec. 19, 2013). According to the article, the study anticipates that hours-of-service regulations on the trucking industry may increase shipping time and the cost of consumer products, leading truck companies to attempt to transport their goods more efficiently and streamline their operations.
“At the Law Offices of G. Turner Howard III, we have seen what happens when the trucking industry puts profits ahead of safety,” Howard said. “We have seen first-hand the devastating impact of trucking accidents. There are many ways truck accidents can happen, and fatigued drivers are a major contributing factor. A failure to comply with federal hours-of-service regulations can have tragic consequences on Tennessee’s roads and highways.”
According to the University of Tennessee study, hours-of-service rules that went into effect on July 1, 2013, reduce the amount of hours a truck driver can log over the course of a week from 82 to 70 and mandate a 30-minute rest before the eighth hour of each shift. This had led trucking companies to streamline their operations, the study said, in order to avoid increasing carrier costs, according to Tennessee Today.
The University of Tennessee study found that truck companies have reported attempting to keep costs down by extending lead time for customers, increasing customer delivery windows, improving shipment consolidation and increasing the use of “drop and hook” shipping methods which involve dropping a loaded trailer at a customer’s facility and leaving with another loaded trailer.
“Truck drivers face weekly hour caps and are required to take breaks for a reason. Fatigued driving is a form of impaired driving. It’s every bit as dangerous as drunk driving,” said Howard. “Drivers must adhere to the hours-of-service rules. If they violate these rules, they are taking dangerous risks with people’s lives.”
Howard said attorneys can help injured individuals and families who have lost loved ones in trucking accidents pursue compensation for their losses. He said a lawyer can hold the negligent company accountable and send a message that careless behavior won’t be tolerated on Tennessee roads.
About the Law Offices of G. Turner Howard III
Attorney G. Turner Howard has fought on behalf of injury victims across all of eastern Tennessee for more than 20 years and obtained millions of dollars in compensation for his clients. The Law Offices of G. Turner Howard III handles a variety of cases involving personal injury, including car, truck and bus accidents, workplace accidents, construction accidents, and other types of personal injury cases. Howard received his law degree from the University Of Tennessee College Of Law and also served as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in Vietnam.
For more information on what to do if you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a truck accident, call 1-800-HURTLINE for a free case consultation.
The Law Offices of G. Turner Howard is located at:
5915 Casey Drive
P.O. Box 51904
Knoxville, TN 37950
http://www.gturnerhowardlaw.com/
Jacob M Del Hagen, Big Voodoo Interactive, http://www.bigvoodoo.com, +1 (413) 650-0593, [email protected]
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