While the average person may not be able to determine if a large commercial truck traveling on the road next to them is safe, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has designed a system to identify trucking companies that may have a greater risk of being involved in future truck accidents in Georgia and around this nation.
Over 4,000 people are killed annually in accidents involving large trucks or buses. FMCSA’s goal is to identify those companies which violate safety rules. In doing so, FMCSA created a Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program to inspect crash data and identify high-risk truck and bus companies through CSA scores.
Most drivers of passenger vehicles should be glad to hear this news, as it could help reduce future crashes by removing high-risk trucks and trucking companies from the operation. However, small trucking companies have major concerns over FMCSA’s system.
Some smaller trucking companies are concerned that just a few violations have caused them to suffer low safety scores, making them afraid that they will be put out of business. However, FMCSA believes there is a correlation between the scores and safety performance to predict future crash risks.
Some safety violations include:
- Failing to adhere to the hours-of-service regulations
- Logbook violations
- Failing to sign a daily vehicle inspection report
- Issues with reflective tape on trailers
- Improper lane changes
- Failure to service trucks
- Failure to conduct drug and alcohol tests on drivers
- And more
Unfortunately, preventable truck accidents in Atlanta will continue to occur due to negligent truckers and trucking companies. If you have suffered an injury or your loved one was tragically injured or killed in a truck crash, call Shane Smith Law at (980) 246-2656 to speak with a skilled trucking accident attorney today in a complimentary consultation.