Truckers Must Use Extreme Caution in Snow Storms
Yesterday, December 19, 2008, southeastern Wisconsin was hit by over 12 inches of snow, shutting down most of Milwaukee. While watching the morning news during the height of the snowfall, I couldn’t help but notice that for every car out on the treacherous roads that morning there was a semi-truck, several of which had been stuck in the ditch after losing control.
There should not have been any truckers on the road that morning. Truckers are required to use “extreme caution” during such whiteout conditions. The Federal Motor Carriers Safety Regulations require the following:
Extreme caution in the operation of a commercial motor vehicle shall be exercised when hazardous conditions, such as those caused by snow, ice, sleet, fog, mist, rain, dust, or smoke, adversely affect visibility or traction. Speed shall be reduced when such conditions exist. If conditions become sufficiently dangerous, the operation of the commercial motor vehicle shall be discontinued and shall not be resumed until the commercial motor vehicle can be safely operated. Whenever compliance with the foregoing provisions of this rule increases hazard to passengers, the commercial motor vehicle may be operated to the nearest point at which the safety of passengers is assured." 49 CFR 392.14
I have blogged about this issue in the past, but to no avail. During every snowstorm, despite the whiteout conditions, I see semi-trucks ignoring the federal rules and continuing to drive. Whenever weather conditions are so severe that there are few cars out on the road, semi-truck drivers should not even consider operating their tractor trailers. They are required to use a higher standard of care during such conditions, which usually means pulling their vehicle over until the weather conditions improve.
