Washington–Insurers are voicing deep concerns over new truck safety rules extending the time that truck drivers can work without rest, noting that non-truck occupants account for most of the 5,000 annual truck crash deaths.
The American Insurance Association, whose members represent most of the nation's commercial insurers, noted in a statement that the new rules are reminiscent of a previous set rejected by a federal court when originally proposed in 2003.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which was created after intense lobbying by the insurance industry several years ago specifically to improve truck safety, issued the final rules this week. They would go into effect Oct. 1 unless challenged.
The new regulation would increase maximum time behind the wheel from the current limit of 10 hours to 11 hours, "wholly disregarding scientific research that clearly shows an increased crash risk associated with longer driving hours," according to David Snyder, AIA vice president and assistant general counsel. He added that, "A major contributing factor to truck crashes is fatigue."
Mr. Snyder explained that while the new hours of service rule would specifically apply only to commercial drivers, "it potentially affects everyone else on the road."
He cited Insurance Institute for Highway Safety studies which indicate that 5,000 people die each year in crashes involving large trucks, of which approximately 85 percent are not truck occupants.
Further, he said, the Institute research shows that for fatal two-vehicle crashes involving passenger vehicles and large trucks, 98 percent of the deaths are people in the passenger vehicles.
Large trucks accounted for 3 percent of registered vehicles and 7 percent of vehicle miles traveled in 2003 but were involved in 11 percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths, Mr. Snyder said.
"Sadly, this replicates part of a flawed approach to regulation that was struck down by a federal court when FMCSA originally proposed it in 2003."
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