It seems Colorado is at the forefront of a lot of trends these days. First state to legalize marijuana. First state to conduct a test for a self-driving truck moving along Interstate 25 full of Budweiser beer. Now, it appears Colorado is gearing up to become the first state to pass legislation regulating self-driving vehicles.
Senate Bill 213 would acknowledge the existence of self-driving vehicles on Colorado’s roadways, and requires those vehicles conform to every state and federal traffic law. The bill is being sponsored by Republican state Sen. Owen Hill of Colorado Springs and Democratic Sen. Dominick Moreno of Commerce City. Both chambers, the House and Senate voted to approve the final version of the bill and sent it on to Gov. John Hickenlooper for his signature.
Will CO Driverless Vehicle Bill Become Law? | Denver Truck Accident Attorney
The following information was gathered from local news reports as well as Bill 231:1
When a driver crashes with a self-driving vehicle, and the self-driving vehicle caused the crash, who is held liable? The following list will try and go over the current scenarios used to assign blame or liability:2
SB 213 was sent to the governor’s desk on April 24th. The governor has 10 days to sign or veto the bill. As of press time, the governor had not signed the bill.
When you or a family member are injured in a collision, whether it’s with a self-driving vehicle or driver controlled, and the other party was at-fault, it’s time to get a hard-working legal team that can help you get the justice you deserve as well as compensation for your damages? That’s why you can count on our tenacious and trustworthy Denver Truck Accident Attorney at the Warshauer McLaughlin Law Group. Our Denver truck accident attorney is very thorough and will go through and re-investigate the crash, the police report, and build a tight case for your best chances at get the most for your cause.
Call today to schedule a free, initial consultation to learn how we can best serve you and get the ball rolling. We can be reached at (720) 420-9800 or email us using the contact form on this page. We have offices in Denver, but we can also meet where ever it is most convenient for you.
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1“Colorado Legislature Sends Bill Regulating Driverless Vehicles to Hickenlooper” published in Denver Business Journal, April 2017.
2“Who is Liable if a Self-Driving Car Crashes? Tesla Mishap Raises Issues” published in USA Today, April, 2017.
Everywhere you turn, it seems the new administration in the White House is affecting industries by doing away with regulations and in some cases whole regulation agencies. And, although we’re not sure it’s the results of regulation cut-backs, but the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has stated its intent to withdrawal its own proposed safety fitness determination rule. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is calling the decision a step in the right direction to improve industry compliance, safety, and accountability.
Here is ATA President and CEO Chris Spear’s statements on why the associations have decided to withdrawal the rule:
“ATA has long supported using data to target enforcement activities against bad actors in our industry. However, numerous reviews have shown flaws in the data and in the CSA system, so it makes sense to withdraw this rule which would have used CSA data to create publicly available fitness ratings.”
FMCSA Moves to Simplify Safety Ratings for Trucks | Denver Truck Accident Attorney
The proposed rule would have helped determine when a motor carrier wasn’t fit to operate commercial motor vehicles. The following are more issues with the proposed rule leading to its dismissal, according to the Carrier Safety Fitness Determination:
Through a series of deregulation efforts, we’ve been given a sneak peek at how one federal agency views inconclusive data gathering as perhaps not just risky, but could potentially lead to operator errors and safety breaches putting the public at possible risk.
Some of the commenters responding about the proposal’s removal and lack of rulemaking language that addresses “safety rating” noted it could have a negative impact. It’s nearly certain, too, that during an administration that seeks to deregulate industry, this issue probably won’t see much more clarification in the immediate future.
It is hugely important that you contact a Denver Truck Accident Attorney at the Warshauer McLaughlin Law Group to find our if a trucking company has been deemed unfit or unsatisfactory to have a carrier on the road. If you are involved in a truck-related accident and you are confident the carrier is negligent in your collision, our Denver truck accident attorney will advocate your rights and help you get the restitution you deserve to get your life back. Don’t delay, call (720) 420-9800 or email us using the contact form on this page. The first consultation is free of charge, and we take pride in serving the community and our clients, so we can be reached 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. That’s just one of the many examples of how you can tell we are dedicate to giving you the best possible outcome. We have a Denver office, but we’ll represent client along the Front Range as well as throughout the state.
Turnover rates at small and large trucking fleets have dropped by 10 percent to an annualized rate of 71%, which is the lowest it has been in six years, according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA). The rate drop was actually smaller for small fleets, which shrunk by 16 percent. Some economists are saying this reduction in turnover may have a silver lining – fewer people leaving their posts may lead to safer truck drivers with more experience on the roads possibly leading to fewer accidents on the roadways.
“Continued declines in turnover rate reflects the overall choppiness of the freight market,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “As inventory levels throughout the supply chain are drawn down to more normal levels, and freight volumes recover, we should see turnover rise along with concerns about the driver shortage.”1
Could Less Trucker Turnover Reduce Truck Crashes?| Denver Truck Accident Attorney
Economists and industry analysts point to a trucker shortage and lower levels of turnover as reasons for possible decreases in truck-related accidents. Here’s some of the findings, according to the ATA:2
One possible solutions to the shortage of truck drivers and unpredictable attrition rates is the emergence of self-driving trucks, say industry analysts. Here are some of the expected effects of implementing self-driving trucks in the future:3
Chances are, if you or a loved one has been in a truck-related accident you’ve either sustained an injury, property damage, or both? That’s why you can count on the experience and compassionate Denver Truck Accident Attorney with the Warshauer McLaughlin Law Group, who will tenaciously fight for your rights and work to get you the best possible outcome for your case.
Our knowledgeable and trustworthy legal experts perform independent investigations to assess the facts and look for holes our opponent’s cases. We’re sure after you’ve spoken to our Denver truck accident attorney, you’ll see why we are the best solution to your truck-related accident case.
Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with us today, by calling (720) 420-9800 or emailing us using the contact form on this page. We an have office located in Denver, but we’ll also consider representing truck-related accident clients throughout the rest of the state as well.
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1“Are Commercial Truck Cameras Making Roads Safer?” published on Yahoo Finance, April 2017.
2“US Truck Driver Shortage Getting Worse, Turnover Figures Show” published in The Journal of Commerce, April 2015.
3“Self-Driving Trucks: Tractor-Trailers Without a Human at the Wheel Will Soon Barrel onto Highways Near You. What Will This Mean for the Nation’s 1.7 Million Truck Drivers?” published in the MIT Technology Review, April 2017.
Usually, when Colorado makes the top of a nationwide list, it’s for a beautiful or positive attribute. Unfortunately, our Mousetrap (a.k.a. I-70 and I-25 interchange) and I-76 interchange have once again made the annual list of the nation’s top 100 bottlenecks for trucks, according to the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), an Arlington, VA-based transportation thing tank tasked with studying transportation issues. The ATRI put I-25/I-70 at the No. 30 spot, while I-25/I-76 came in at No. 54.
“With President Trump expected to press for significant long-term infrastructure spending, this ATRI analysis should be a key guide for deciding what projects are worthy of funding,” said American Trucking Association's President Chris Spear. “Ensuring the safe and efficient movement of goods should be a national priority and this report draws attention to the places where our highway network needs improvement in order to meet that goal.”1
2 Denver Interchanges Still Rank as U.S. Worst Bottlenecks | Denver Truck Accident Attorney
The following is look back at how Denver got its own bottleneck areas, and the plans that the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has to try and remedy them:
The worst reported bottleneck in the United States is in Atlanta, GA is known as the “Spaghetti Junction,” and serves as the interchange for I-285 and I-85.
The DOT Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) simple definition for a traffic bottleneck is: A localized constriction of traffic flow. Expanded definition: A localized section of highway that experiences reduced speeds and inherent delays due to a recurring operational influence or a nonrecurring impacting event. The following are six contributing factors to traffic bottlenecks, according to the FHWA:
Have you been involved in a pile-up accident, single-car accident, or truck accident at one of Colorado’s problem intersections? If so, contact our Denver Truck Accident Attorney at Warshauer McLaughlin Law Group, who will help you navigate the complex legal process and help you get restitution for damages, if any are owed. Our compassionate and trustworthy legal experts will give you personalized attention and fight ardently for your rights. If you were injured and another driver is negligent, we’ll work every hard to win you compensation for your lost wages, medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more. Let our attorney build a strong case for you, so you can focus on recovering.
For a free and no-obligation consultation, call us today at (720) 420-9800 or email us using the contact form on this page. Our office is located in Denver, but we also represent those living in the Front Range area.
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1“Worst U.S. Bottlenecks: 2 Denver Interchanges Are on The List” published in Denver Business Journal, January 2017.
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