To protect against the dangers associated with driver fatigue, federal regulations limit the number of consecutive hours commercial truck drivers can be behind the wheel. However, there are no laws restricting how long a non-commercial driver can drive, nor are there laws requiring that drivers get a good night's rest before operating a vehicle.
As we've discussed before, property owners have an obligation to ensure that their premises are safe for visitors. Negligent maintenance, supervision or security could lead to injurious accidents, and Kansas residents who have been injured because of a property owner's negligence may need to bring a premises liability claim to receive compensation for damages.
Occupants of passenger vehicles that collide with large trucks are far more likely to suffer serious injuries than motorists in crashes that involve only cars or other passenger vehicles.
After an injury on someone else's property, the first things on a person's mind are likely the pain and resulting medical costs of the injury itself. Questions of whether the property owner was at fault may come later. With that in mind, let's consider the circumstances in which a property owner or business has failed to protect visitors or tenants from injury.
Drunk driving continues to be a major threat to life and limb in Kansas and Missouri. Mothers Against Drunk Driving was founded in 1980, and since then, according to national data from 2012, the annual number of DUI-related deaths has been reduced by half. Still, more needs to be done, both in terms of driver education and justice in civil and criminal courts.
Collisions with large commercial vehicles change people's lives in ways they never could have imagined. Suddenly a person seriously injured in a truck accident needs major medical treatment and perhaps is unable to work. If the victim normally contributes to a household income, then the financial damage of the crash may extend to the entire family. All of these problems are in addition to the pain and suffering experienced by the injured person.
Truck drivers, trucking companies and other parties to the trucking industry must meet high safety standards established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These regulations pertain to anything from proper truck maintenance to drug testing. Here let's discuss some of the safety requirements the FMCSA has established to protect motorists from the inherent dangers posed by large commercial trucks.
