Work Zone Awareness Week
Work zone crashes can be very costly and dangerous, often resulting in injury or even death. Studies of work zone crashes show that most can be avoided. Here are tips to help avoid these incidents.
FMCSA Cancels Two SMS Webinars
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration held the first of three scheduled webinars on January 16 to discuss upcoming changes to the Safety Measurement System. However, the second and third webinars, originally scheduled for February 25 and March 25, have been cancelled, likely because of President Trump’s 60-day moratorium on new regulations.
The SMS is the statistical component of FMCSA’s CSA (Compliance, Safety, Accountability) program. SMS compiles, categorizes, and weights motor carrier and truck driver violations, guiding FMCSA on which carriers require intervention. Some of the proposed changes would make it simpler for carriers to comply with the regulations that govern compliance.
The cancellation of the webinars could also indicate that the Trump administration is reconsidering the changes to the SMS program. Only time will tell as the new administration prepares to take its next steps as the moratorium on new regulations expires.
The recording and summary of the first webinar can be found at the CSA Prioritization Preview webpage https://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/prioritizationpreview.
ICSA will advise if the webinars are rescheduled.
Why Not to Do Non-DOT Post-Accident D&A Test
Non-Department of Transportation post-accident drug and alcohol testing potentially changes a non-liable accident into the detonator of a nuclear verdict.
Update on Legal Action Against DOL IC Rule
Several lawsuits were filed challenging the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) independent contractor (IC) regulation enacted by the Biden Administration and the DOL’s Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su in early 2024.