› $150,000,000 verdict in personal injury case
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of deadly truck crashes declined 20 percent last year, dropping from 4,245 in 2008 to 3,380 in 2009. The drop in commercial trucking fatalities puts them at their lowest level in the Transportation Department’s history, but what is responsible for the sudden spike in safety?
Between now and the full implementation of its Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) 2010 safety rating system, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will conduct outreach efforts to inform carriers and drivers of the upcoming changes, and to encourage everyone to become actively involved.
Rose McMurray, Chief Safety Officer for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, addressed the National Association of Small Trucking Companies this month in an effort to clarify the federal government’s intentions and goals set forth by its Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) 2010 program.
On March 5, 2009, commercial driver Jason Rivenburg was hauling milk from New York to South Carolina, when he pulled over at an abandoned gas station along the South Carolina Highway. Jason never made it home, where his wife and 2-year-old son awaited him, because he was senselessly shot to death while sleeping in his cab. The murderer made off with just $7 from Jason’s wallet.
This summer, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will begin its transition from the SafeStat safety performance ranking system to the Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 ranking system, generally referred to as CSA 2010.
When the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rolls out its new Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA 2010) safety rating system this summer, commercial trucking companies and drivers alike will have take extra caution that their record complies with the government’s rules and regulations. Violations and sub-standard performance will become part of the public record, which could be reviewed in negotiating contracts and hiring new drivers. Drivers might also access the information to screen the safety records of potential employers.
