We’ve previously discussed bus accidents in the United States and despite the Transportation Department’s best attempts to increase safety and reduce crashes, bus accidents are still happening. In the wake of several horrific commercial bus accidents across the country, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is trying to crackdown on dangerous bus and truck drivers to prevent future accidents.
Many truck and bus accidents are caused by negligent drivers working for unsafe companies. Investigations after many bus and truck accidents found the companies operating the carriers involved in the crashes often violated safety rules and guidelines, many not for the first time. Companies who violate FMCSA safety rules are putting everyone on the road at risk, and the FMCSA is trying to find a way to keep these unsafe carriers off the road.
New regulations may help the FMCSA keep unsafe truck and bus companies from operating. The new regulations will allow the FMCSA to target specific companies who continue to violate safety rules. The new regulations will also allow the agency to prohibit a motor carrier from operating even if they have safety audit scores that don’t require any action to be taken against the carrier. The FMCSA believes the new regulations will help them keep unsafe bus and truck companies from operating, which should lead to fewer fatal bus and truck accidents in the U.S.
The new regulations are a step in the right direction for improving safety and reducing truck and bus accidents caused by negligent and unsafe drivers. Hopefully the FMCSA will be able to effectively crackdown on unsafe carriers to make sure only properly trained and safe drivers are behind the wheel of such potentially destructive vehicles.
Source: Bloomberg, “U.S. to Go After Worst of Worst With Tougher Bus Rules,” Jeff Plungis, Jan. 17, 2014