Lawyer Discusses Supreme Court Rejecting Electronic Logging Devices Challenge

August 17, 2017
5:01 pm

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Lawyer Discusses Supreme Court Rejecting Electronic Logging Devices Challenge

Dallas, Texas, 08/17/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

The issue of electronic logging devices (ELDs) has been a hot button topic in the trucking industry for the past few years.

Safety advocates say that switching to computer-based logs will reduce semi-truck wrecks by making sure drivers are obeying driving laws and getting enough sleep before hitting the road. But, leaders of the trucking industry claim that ELDs won’t do anything to keep drivers safer.

The federal government is requiring all semis to have an ELD by December 18, 2017, but that hasn’t stopped the trucking industry from pushing back against the new regulation.

Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to the ELD mandate, which was upheld in a lower federal court. According to media report, the decision to decline to hear the case is the end of the road for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), which brought the challenge.

Truckers’ Group Says It Will Pressure Congress to Change the ELD Rule

The media also reports that the OOIDA will go to Congress in hopes of persuading federal lawmakers to roll back the ELD mandate. Although the group hasn’t released any specifics for how it plans to push lawmakers for change, some have speculated that it might lobby for new legislation that amends the mandate.

The OOIDA’s position is that the ELDs pose an unconstitutional intrusion of truck drivers’ Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. The federal courts have overwhelmingly rejected this argument.

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals declined to review the challenge, and the U.S. Supreme Court failed to grant certiorari, which means it will not review the lower court’s decision to uphold the ELD mandate.

Safety Groups (and Even Some Truckers) Believe ELDs Will Save Lives

Those who advocate for ELDs say they offer a number of benefits, including cutting down on costly truck idling, reducing accidents, and making logs more accurate.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has released data that says trucks with ELDs installed have a crash rate that is 11.7 percent lower than trucks without the devices.

Trucks with ELDs also have 53 percent fewer violations. All in all, the FMCSA estimates that ELDs will save approximately 26 lives and prevent 562 injures every year.

Texas Truck Accident Lawyer Discusses Electronic Logging Devices

Texas truck accident lawyer Amy Witherite states: “Despite the pushback against ELDs, safety advocates say the devices have the potential to reduce truck accidents, save lives, and lower the number of serious injuries caused by truck accidents every year. Even some pro-trucking blogs and websites have come around to the idea that ELDs have the potential to make the roads much safer.”

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If you’ve been injured in a semi-truck crash, or you have lost someone you love in a truck accident, compassionate and experienced legal help is available today. You need a law firm that will help you Keep Life Running and fight for your legal rights. Contact a Texas truck accident lawyer right away to discuss your options.

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