Five safety rules that all truck drivers must follow

Safety regulations in the US transportation industry have been considered outdated until the recent CSA 2010 regulations came into force on December 11, 2010. Trucking, by its very nature, is risky and involves a variety of physical and mental challenges.

The Federal Automobile Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reported to Congress in November 2005 on data covering a 33-month period for heavy-duty truck collisions. Analysis suggested that 87% of these crashes were related to driver errors. It was clear that there was an urgent need to review existing safety regulations and that they needed to be up to date. With this in mind, five safety rules are recommended that all truck drivers must follow in order to increase the safety associated with the truck industry.

The first rule. To register correctly, you need to register and license to obtain a cargo tank number from FMCSA. This is a federal agency responsible for maintaining data on the safety of trucking operations in the United States. When transporting dangerous goods, additional registration requirements are required to comply with safety regulations.

The second rule. The Federal Automobile Carrier Safety Control Authority (FMCSA) regulates the service hours (HOS) of commercial drivers in the United States. Commercial vehicle (CMV) drivers must not drive more than a cumulative 11 hours in a 14 hour window. After this, you should take a break of at least 10 hours. In addition to this, truck drivers employed by carriers on a daily basis must not work more than 70 hours in a continuous eight-day working period. Drivers also need to keep a daily logbook to keep a record of their work and breaks. These records must be presented to personnel when requested.

The rule of thirds. Safety regulations enforced by the federal government are mandatory and truck drivers must always comply. It is important to be aware of truck regulations and traffic safety regulations so that you do not violate truck driving laws or endanger other road users.

Fourth rule. Truck drivers will find themselves tested for alcohol and substance abuse. (Drunk driving). Truck drivers know the consequences of violating this basic truck regulation. They can lose their jobs and livelihoods.

Fifth rule. Accidents happen on the road. If this involves a spill of dangerous goods, the truck driver must be fully equipped in every way to deal with the spill. In a chaotic accident, the truck driver should already know who to contact and what to do. The Pipeline and Dangerous Goods Safety Administration (PHMSA) provides useful guidance on this aspect of trucking.

These rules are the basic common sense for the safety of everyone who uses the highway. Keep them safe and keep yourself safe.