Officials from BNSF Railroad have announced that they are taking steps to introduce safer oil tanker cars into their fleet. A series of major train accidents over the past few years have convinced industry executives that it is time to voluntarily increase safety measures.
DUI laws struggle to adjust for marijuana use
At the present time 20 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana use to some degree. 13 additional states are considering similar measures, which indicates that public opinion is shifting and it may soon be an issue on the table in many more states. Along with legalization for medical purposes comes a troublesome byproduct – legal users of medical marijuana getting behind the wheel of a car. The reasons that marijuana users behind the wheel is so troublesome, particularly for law enforcement officers, is that few reliable tests exists at this time to determine when someone is actually intoxicated from the active chemical compound in marijuana, THC.
Truck accident linked to fatigued driver
A truck accident involving a fatigued driver claim one life and injured another person earlier this year. The driver in the case has been accused of falsifying his log books to make it seem like he had complied with federal safety standards that require drivers to stop and rest at regular intervals. Instead, investigators say that the driver was on the road for more than 35 hours with only three and a half hours of sleep. Even for the most experienced driver with a lot of coffee, that is not healthy and is certainly not safe.
Senator pushes for solution to distracted driving dilemma
Almost everyone knows the feeling of pure frustration when driving behind someone who is going to slow, or weaving over the lines, only to see the same driver talking or texting away. It is enough for most people to want to yell, "Get off the phone!" or "Stop texting!"
