Trump Administration Eases Truck Safety Rule

[mfcorey1]

A former lobbyist is using the Trump pandemic that is killing thousands nationally to ease safety rules intended to reduce deaths by monster trucks.

Jim Mullen, acting administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, temporarily waived a rule regarding work breaks. Many drivers of large commercial trucks were to take 10-hour breaks after 14 hours of work if their trucks are delivering essential supplies. Medical supplies, food and fuel are counted as essential.

Peter Kurduck, the general counsel for Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety, said it is understandable that during the pandemic there is a need to waive the rule with limited exemptions.

Under the Obama administration federal regulators limited many truckers’ work to 70 hours in eight days to try to reduce crashes by exhausted drivers.

The rate of fatal large truck crashes is increasing. From 2016 to 2017, the most recent numbers, the rate increased by 6%. In 2017, 4,761 people were killed in crashes involving trucks that weigh more than 10,000 pounds.

https://www.dcreport.org/2020/04/30/trump-administration-eases-truck-safety-rule/

[captain queeg]

1. There's nothing so bad that the Trumpers won't try to turn to their advantage. Nt

[Ohiogal]

2. These evil monsters

They are having a gleeful time cancelling so many Obama era regulations and procedures such as women’s healthcare and blaming it on the pandemic. It’s been a wet dream of theirs to have this great excuse to do away with anything that promotes well being and safety. I don’t know if I can stand it until he is gone.

[Igel]

3. A few things.

The numbers from 2016 to 2017 don't reflect a rule change. Same rule, but an increase.

That wasn't a fluke. Since 2011 the fatality rate for trucks has increased each year. Including 2018. (The numbers are available, but they're not official *government* numbers. Insurance safety institutes have absolutely no reason to not be brutally honest in this regard.) https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/large-trucks

The Obama-era regulation only made a difference if, like with many things, we don't actually look at the data but compare the results against hypotheticals showing how horrible things would be if we didn't have the rule.

The death rate fell a lot from 2005 to 2008. Before the rule. So something else is going on.

[Midnight Writer]

4. Higher speed limits, for one. Also, distractions from personal electronic devices.