Changing lives with small failures: distracted truck drivers
The phrase “changing lives” sounds positive: people making big choices, and overcoming adversity. I’m seen too many lives changed by just the opposite. A failure that seems small—like a distracted truck driver taking eyes off the road—can responsible for changing lives. “I’m really not sure what happened” On a sunny fall afternoon in Washington, Andy was...
Changing lives with small failures: distracted truck drivers Continue reading…Trump on Trucking: Week One
In his first week in office, President Trump issued orders to executive agencies that affect trucking safety. Here's what we know, so far. President Trump on Trucking Safety: Week 1 Shortly after his inauguration, President Trump issued an executive order freezing all pending federal regulations now in process. Any regulation signed by President Obama in...
Trump on Trucking: Week One Continue reading…Why these 4 blind spots in trucks are still a huge safety problem
A "blind spot" is an area around the vehicle that the driver can't see in the mirrors. All vehicles have them, but semi-trucks have 4 big blind spots. Here a truck’s blind spots, or "no-zones": Left side, under the cab mirror; Right side, under the cab mirror and extending out; In front of the truck...
Why these 4 blind spots in trucks are still a huge safety problem Continue reading…Lawmakers searching for practical solution to distracted driving
Distracted driving is a serious issue on the roadways of Washington, as well as across our country. There are basically 3 forms of distracted driving: visual, cognitive, and manual. Visual distraction occurs when the driver is looking at anything except the road, i.e. their cellphone. Cognitive distraction is when the driver's mind isn't on the...
Lawmakers searching for practical solution to distracted driving Continue reading…The Truth About the McDonald’s Coffee Lawsuit (video)
It's one of the most famous lawsuits in the country. A woman spills coffee on herself, and files a lawsuit against McDonalds because the coffee was hot. She wins a million dollars, and becomes the poster child of "frivolous lawsuits". What if everything you've heard about the hot coffee lawsuit is wrong? In this 5-minute...
The Truth About the McDonald’s Coffee Lawsuit (video) Continue reading…Are speed limiters in heavy trucks really a good idea?
The idea is that semi-trucks and other heavy commercial vehicles shouldn't be able to speed on U.S. roads and highways. In August, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration jointly proposed that all new trucks, buses, and commercial passenger vehicles that weigh more than 26,000 pounds have speed limiting...
Are speed limiters in heavy trucks really a good idea? Continue reading…The Tragedy of Suicide, and the Courage to Make a Difference
In a motel on Seattle’s Aurora Avenue in the dark days of winter, Matt sat alone and took his own life. He was 40 years old, a senior partner in a prestigious national law firm, a husband and the father of two young children. Across the state, in the rural town of Packwood, it was...
The Tragedy of Suicide, and the Courage to Make a Difference Continue reading…The new clearinghouse rule that will keep dangerous truckers off the road
Last month, a semi-truck struck and killed a man near his disabled car on I-84 in Idaho. The truck driver was investigated by FMCSA: last year, a motor carrier fired that trucker for failing a random drug test. After the failed drug test, the driver didn’t comply with the required substance abuse assessment. He was disqualified from driving...
The new clearinghouse rule that will keep dangerous truckers off the road Continue reading…Trucker in fatal crash an “imminent hazard to public safety”
On the evening of November 9th, 2016 a semi-truck struck an Oregon man on I-84 in Idaho. The State Police reported that 24-year-old Matthew Martin, of Ontario, Oregon, had hit a guardrail. His Toyota ended up in the center lane. He exited the car and was hit by a semi-truck. Martin later died in an...
Trucker in fatal crash an “imminent hazard to public safety” Continue reading…Being thankful for the invisible forces of safety
This morning, you got behind the wheel of your car. You checked traffic, and revised your route. You dropped the kids off at school, and navigated your way to work. This afternoon, you'll do the same thing in reverse. The things that didn't happen ... You didn't trip and fall on a broken sidewalk. Your...
Being thankful for the invisible forces of safety Continue reading…This trucking law starts in 2017 – and Trump (probably) won’t stop it …
Truckers and other commercial vehicle drivers are required by law to keep track of the number of hours they spend behind the wheel. Some drivers still use paper logs to record these metrics. After years of study, the FMCSA is requiring commercial truck drivers to switch from paper logs to an Electronic Logging Device (ELD),...
This trucking law starts in 2017 – and Trump (probably) won’t stop it … Continue reading…This trucking law starts in 2017 – and Trump (probably) won’t stop it …
Truckers and other commercial vehicle drivers are required by law to keep track of the number of hours they spend behind the wheel. Some drivers still use paper logs to record these metrics. After years of study, the FMCSA is requiring commercial truck drivers to switch from paper logs to an Electronic Logging Device (ELD), a computer record...
This trucking law starts in 2017 – and Trump (probably) won’t stop it … Continue reading…