This past May, the U.S. Department of Transportation named Daphne Izer as a 2014 Transportation Champion of Change. Her recognition comes after a long, tough journey. Over twenty years ago, Mrs. Izer founded “Parents Against Tired Truckers” after her son and three friends were killed by an exhausted trucker who drove well beyond the allowed Hours-of-Service limits and fell asleep behind the wheel.
Using her grief and anger, Mrs. Izer focused her family’s tragedy into dedicated action to help protect others from fatigued truck drivers and promote the use of technology that brings accountability to federal drive time limitations. Her efforts have led new regulations that make sure truck drivers get the rest they need and help protect the safety of driving public.
Mrs. Izer created a national standard for the use of Electronic Logging Devices as a tribute to her son, Jeff, and the thousands of other drivers who have been killed in truck accidents. Her efforts to improve highway safety have created an awareness of truck driver fatigue and enabled the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) to gain support for the Electronic Logging Devices proposal.
New Hours-of-Service regulations are now in effect to ensure truckers have the adequate rest they need to safely operate an 80,000 lb. commercial rig that shares the road with other motorists. The maximum average workweek for truckers is now reduced to 70 hours from 82 hours and requiring a 35-minute break during the first eight hours of their shift. FMSCA predicts that these changes will save 19 lives and prevent nearly 1,400 crashes with 560 injuries annually.
We Can Help
The experienced attorneys at Charles G. Monnett III & Associates provide free initial consultations, support, and assistance in finding resources to help you and your family deal with injuries caused in truck accidents. We can also help you pursue legal action.
