Maryland Accident Law Blog
Heavy freight traffic on Baltimore highways is causing the Baltimore Metropolitan Council to review whether there needs to be more rest facilities available to truckers. There are currently no designated rest stops between the Beltway and the Pennsylvania line, and the council wants to determine whether more truck parking areas need to be created. The council’s Truck Parking Partnership Study is looking into this issue and will make a recommendation.
According to federal regulations, truck drivers:
-Must park and stop if they’ve been driving for 11 hours straight.
-Must rest for 10 consecutive hours before they are allowed to drive again.
-Can only drive up to 14 hours maximum each day.
Truck drivers are currently having to park on the shoulders at the Shawan Road exit in Hunt Valley and the Freeland Road exit located south of the Pennsylvania line. Maryland State Police are concerned that trucks parked along the freeway could pose a hazard to other vehicles on the road.
Maryland Truck Statistics:
-More than 12,000 companies have registered motor carriers in the state of Maryland.
-Approximately 90 percent of all goods moved in Maryland are moved by truck.
Because of their weight and size, truck-related crashes often impose injuries more serious than car crashes, and
driver fatigue is sometimes responsible for truck crashes. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a truck, you should obtain the advice of a lawyer with experience in handling truck accident-related personal injury cases.
To avoid becoming involved in a truck-related (or any kind of vehicle-related) accident, here are the following driving tips:
1) Wear a seatbelt.
2) Keep your eyes moving.
3) Watch the road.
4) Check your mirrors.
5) Try not to follow any vehicle too closely.
6) Make sure you aren’t being followed too closely.
7) Monitor your speed.
8) Be aware of how current weather conditions may change driving conditions.
9) Give yourself plenty of space between your vehicle and the vehicles around you.
For Truckers, It’s A Long Way From Beltway to Pennsylvania Line, North County News.com, June 22, 2006
Doing Business In Maryland, Maryland Department Of Transportation
Related Web Resources:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations
Unsafe Driving Acts Of Motorists In The Vicinity Of Large Trucks (PDF