Personal Injury Attorney Szantho Law Examines New Regulations On The Trucking Industry

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Car accident attorney Szantho Law Firm examines the new regulations on the trucking industry, professional transport driving, and shares advice for those driving near the large vehicles.

As Americans take to the road for summer vacations, more travelers will find themselves sharing the highway with semi-trucks. What might come as a surprise to most, however, is that new regulations went into effect on July 1st that are aimed with preventing fatigue from those driving the massive vehicles for a living. The Szantho Law Firm, which handles personal injury claims for those involved in trucking accidents, examines the new rules and shares some tips for drivers who are wary of driving near semis.

“Professional transport driving is a very demanding job,” says Andras Szantho, founder of The Szantho Law Firm. “Drivers are on deadlines to get their cargo to a destination by a particular date, and, where most Americans are used to a 40 hour work week, semi drivers were previously allowed up to 82. The concern was that the long hours led to fatigue, and accidents. The new regulations are designed to give the drivers more rest, and thus reduce the number of collisions.”

In addition, from reducing the maximum allowed hours from 82 to 70, the new rules impose a mandatory 30 minute break after 8 consecutive hours of driving. Changes were also made to a rest provision known as a ‘restart’ that now mandates timing of the off-duty period.

“The net result of the new regulations is more rest for those who make their living transporting goods by semi-truck. While accidents involving heavy trucks are not common, comprising only 3% of all auto crashes in New Mexico in 2010, more than 20% of semi accidents can be attributed to driver distraction. Given the severity of this type of accident, if the regulations can lessen the fatigue of the driver then the number of semi collisions should be further reduced,” says Szantho.

For travelers who are wary of driving near the large vehicles, Szantho also offers the following: “While the size of a semi can be intimidating, driving around them should not be if you just keep a few things in mind. Be mindful of their blind spot, and attempt to pass quickly on the left rather than lingering near the side of the truck. Always leave adequate braking distance for both yourself and the semi. Finally, be patient; attempting to rush around a truck that is turning or merging can be dangerous. Instead wait for them to finish their maneuver then pass them safely.”

The Szantho Law Firm has offices in both Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico. They handle a variety of personal injury cases, including: semi-truck accidents, automobile accidents, slip-and-fall, traumatic brain injury, medical malpractice and more. They can be reached for a free consultation at http://www.szantholaw.com or at (505)-820-3366.

Contact Info:
Name: Andras Szantho
Email: Send Email
Organization: The Szantho Law Firm
Address: 10749 Prospect Avenue Northeast Albuquerque, NM 87112
Phone: (505) 433-7288
Website: http://caraccidentlawyeralbuquerque.com/

Release ID: 18632

CONTACT ISSUER
Name: Andras Szantho
Email: Send Email
Organization: The Szantho Law Firm
Address: 10749 Prospect Avenue Northeast Albuquerque, NM 87112
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