Lower semi speed limits in Iowa - Truckers' Trucking Forum

Cybergal · **^ Top** #1 02.20.2008

Lower semi speed limits in Iowa
2/20/08

Quote:

After last Wednesday’s fatal accident on Interstate 80, just off the West Liberty exit, it is apparent that something needs to change in the way semi trucks travel our roadways. In 2006, 74 people were killed in accidents involving semi trucks, up eight percent from the prior year, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety. Semis and straight trucks make up about four percent of the total accidents annually.

A fully loaded semi truck and trailer can weigh more than 80,000 pounds, which is nearly 30 times the weight of an average passenger vehicle. Reasons for these accidents include failure to control, obscured vision, inattentive or distracted, drowsy or fatigued, ran traffic control, speed too fast, improper lane change, improper turn or following too close. These are the same reasons that drivers in any other vehicle are involved in an accident but truck drivers are behind the wheel of a much larger weapon.

We all know what it’s like to drive the same route to work every day. We get comfortable, the scenery doesn’t change and it’s incredibly easy to zone out and lose focus of the road. If we can do it on our 20 minute drive to work each day, imagine if your drive to work was your work. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA), semi drivers are legally allowed to drive 11 hours before stopping and, given they’ve taken at least 34 hours off, are allowed to drive 60 hours in a seven day period. More of the article......
http://westlibertyindex.com/article.php?viewID=1437

Brickman · **^ Top** #2 02.20.2008

Quote:

are allowed to drive 60 hours in a seven day period

Another dumb reporter that doesn't know what he is talking about. Those are WORKING hours, not driving hrs.

rookietrucker · **^ Top** #3 02.20.2008

This reporter needs to take in consider of the bad winter they are having. Also, I80 needs to be widen. That is a main artery thru IA. Kinda like I35 in texas. More cars then the road can handle.

hondadrv24 · **^ Top** #4 02.21.2008

Yeah that stretch of I 80 is also I35 thru des moines. And while four-wheelers tend to space off at the scenery because they see it day in and day out, most of us (not me) see different roads every day. I wonder if the four-wheeler who died was one of those spaced out commuters who did something stupid and set himself up to get hit.

hondadrv24 · **^ Top** #5 02.22.2008

are only 4 people upset by this article??

I think that we truckers need to let reporters like this one, And The Public know that truck drivers are not just lame brains behind the wheel that space out like they do in their commute!! We are professionals, and as such if we are tired we pull over for a break, We pay close attention because we know that we require a longer distance to stop, and compensate for it. But we cannot compensate for four-wheelers who come whipping in to that bumper space that we were leaving ourselves. If we continue to allow stuff like this to be published unanswered soon the public is going to side with the likes of Public Citizen, and we are only going to have 2 hour days to run.

bullhaulerswife · **^ Top** #6 02.22.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by hondadrv24

are only 4 people upset by this article??

I think that we truckers need to let reporters like this one, And The Public know that truck drivers are not just lame brains behind the wheel that space out like they do in their commute!! We are professionals, and as such if we are tired we pull over for a break, We pay close attention because we know that we require a longer distance to stop, and compensate for it. But we cannot compensate for four-wheelers who come whipping in to that bumper space that we were leaving ourselves. If we continue to allow stuff like this to be published unanswered soon the public is going to side with the likes of Public Citizen, and we are only going to have 2 hour days to run.

I agree with you. I would love to have everyone that takes their drivers tests have to sit in a virtual reality machine of what a Truck Driver goes through every day, so that they know when they whip out in front of you, what it takes to stop one of these rigs. It will never happen, but it would be nice.

MedicineMan · **^ Top** #7 02.22.2008

this is some po doke paper but this is the contact page with email addresses for the editor and publisher.

Let it be known.

[LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link.

wizard4x4 · **^ Top** #8 02.23.2008

Thanks. I sent my thoughts on that article doubt they care but I said what felt.

MedicineMan · **^ Top** #9 02.23.2008

I did too. it'll probably make them happy though geting nationwide response to the one horse town paper

rookietrucker · **^ Top** #10 02.23.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by MedicineMan

I did too. it'll probably make them happy though geting nationwide response to the one horse town paper

I think we all have been thru a few of them towns. where the stop sign says 'whoa horsey'

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