Commericial truck drivers can avoid a Texas truck accident by following the BASICS.The Behavior Analysis Safety Improvement Catagories, or BASICS, include 7 catagories in which a carrier and driver’s safety performance are assessed or graded. The 7 BASICS are: 1) Unsafe Driving; 2) Fatigued Driving (Hours-of-Service); 3) Driver Fitness; 4) Controlled Substances/Alcohol; 5) Vehicle Maintenance; 6) Cargo-Related; and, 7) Crash Indicator.
As an example, the Cargo-Related BASIC includes the possibility of approximately 350 distinct violations which are allegedly tracked under the CSA program. Violations are assigned a “severity” based on a violations potential crash risk with a 10 being the greatest potential for harm. No other BASIC has as many violations with a severity of 10 as the cargo securement Basic. Outlining the intergral details of each BASIC and the criteria judged in each as a result of the time limitations of the topic is impractical.
Althought national statistics show the overall rate of fatal injuries involving tractor-trailers is down nationally, there are still too many death related accidents that occur in Texas and especially in and around the Houston and San Antonio area.
The public roads in Texas are typically a mix of big truck/tractor combinations (18-wheelers) on one extreme to the automobile with only 4 wheels and the motorcycle with only 2 wheels. That is why it is not uncommon to see so many truck accidents involving company vehicles. Accidents between an 18-wheeler and a car or motorcycle can result in sever injuries like scarring or perminant disfigurement.
If you have questions about the truck driver BASICs or trucking and trucking regulations, feel free to contact a Houston truck accident lawyer. You can reach an attorney at 713-572-4900.
– Article By Richard Weaver
