McClatchy DC Logo

Crash that killed 11 leads to new federal truck safety rule | McClatchy Washington Bureau

×
    • Customer Service
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletters
    • Subscriber Services

    • All White House
    • Russia
    • All Congress
    • Budget
    • All Justice
    • Supreme Court
    • DOJ
    • Criminal Justice
    • All Elections
    • Campaigns
    • Midterms
    • The Influencer Series
    • All Policy
    • National Security
    • Guantanamo
    • Environment
    • Climate
    • Energy
    • Water Rights
    • Guns
    • Poverty
    • Health Care
    • Immigration
    • Trade
    • Civil Rights
    • Agriculture
    • Technology
    • Cybersecurity
    • All Nation & World
    • National
    • Regional
    • The East
    • The West
    • The Midwest
    • The South
    • World
    • Diplomacy
    • Latin America
    • Investigations
  • Podcasts
    • All Opinion
    • Political Cartoons

  • Our Newsrooms

Politics & Government

Crash that killed 11 leads to new federal truck safety rule

Greg Kocher - Lexington Herald-Leader

    ORDER REPRINT →

April 02, 2010 08:13 PM

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said it has an "ongoing" compliance review of Hester Inc., the Alabama trucking company involved in the March 26 crash on Interstate 65 that killed 11 people.

And in another development on Friday, the federal agency issued a new rule that will require some interstate commercial truck and bus companies to install electronic onboard recorders to monitor the number of hours drivers work.

Under federal regulations, a commercial truck driver can't drive for more than 11 hours per shift and can't be on duty for more than 14 hours.

The rule was proposed long before the Hart County crash, but the accident brought renewed attention to onboard recorders.

SIGN UP

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Kenneth Laymon, 45, of Jasper, Ala., crossed the median near Munfordville and slammed into a van, killing 10 people and himself, Kentucky State Police said. The others who died were Mennonites traveling to a wedding in Iowa. Two young children survived the crash.

It's not known what caused the crash, but the National Transportation Safety Board is looking into whether the driver fell asleep, was impaired or suffered a medical condition that caused him to lose control. The NTSB said Friday that the investigation is continuing.

Hester's has had at least 13 drivers' violations for driving too many hours during the past 30 months, according to the FMCSA.

Shashunga Clayton, a spokeswoman with the FMCSA, said compliance reviews are typically done in all fatal crashes. The review includes a look at the driver's hours of service, vehicle maintenance and inspection, driver qualification, controlled substance and alcohol testing, and compliance with licensing requirements.

She couldn't estimate how long it will take to complete the review.

"It varies" depending on the size of the fleet, Clayton said. "It will last a couple of weeks, that's for certain. It may depend upon how soon we get their records, how organized that carrier is."

Read more of this story at Kentucky.com

Related stories from McClatchy DC

national

Kentucky highway crash kills 10 members of one family

March 26, 2010 05:13 PM

  Comments  

Videos

President Trump makes surprise visit to troops in Iraq

Trump says he will not sign bill to fund federal government without border security measures

View More Video

Trending Stories

Cell signal puts Cohen outside Prague around time of purported Russian meeting

December 27, 2018 10:36 AM

Sources: Mueller has evidence Cohen was in Prague in 2016, confirming part of dossier

April 13, 2018 06:08 PM

Hundreds of sex abuse allegations found in fundamental Baptist churches across U.S.

December 09, 2018 06:30 AM

California Republicans fear even bigger trouble ahead for their wounded party

December 27, 2018 09:37 AM

Ted Cruz’s anti-Obamacare crusade continues with few allies

December 24, 2018 10:33 AM

Read Next

Cell signal puts Cohen outside Prague around time of purported Russian meeting

Investigations

Cell signal puts Cohen outside Prague around time of purported Russian meeting

By Peter Stone and

Greg Gordon

    ORDER REPRINT →

December 27, 2018 10:36 AM

One of Michael Cohen’s mobile phones briefly lit up cell towers in late summer of 2016 in the vicinity of Prague, undercutting his denials that he secretly met there with Russian officials, four people have told McClatchy.

KEEP READING

MORE POLITICS & GOVERNMENT

Lone senator at the Capitol during shutdown: Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts

Congress

Lone senator at the Capitol during shutdown: Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts

December 27, 2018 06:06 PM
California Republicans fear even bigger trouble ahead for their wounded party

Elections

California Republicans fear even bigger trouble ahead for their wounded party

December 27, 2018 09:37 AM
Does Pat Roberts’ farm bill dealmaking make him an ‘endangered species?’

Congress

Does Pat Roberts’ farm bill dealmaking make him an ‘endangered species?’

December 26, 2018 08:02 AM
Ted Cruz’s anti-Obamacare crusade continues with few allies

Congress

Ted Cruz’s anti-Obamacare crusade continues with few allies

December 24, 2018 10:33 AM
‘Remember the Alamo’: Meadows steels conservatives, Trump for border wall fight

Congress

‘Remember the Alamo’: Meadows steels conservatives, Trump for border wall fight

December 22, 2018 12:34 PM
With no agreement on wall, partial federal shutdown likely to continue until 2019

Congress

With no agreement on wall, partial federal shutdown likely to continue until 2019

December 21, 2018 03:02 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

McClatchy Washington Bureau App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Newsletters
Learn More
  • Customer Service
  • Securely Share News Tips
  • Contact Us
Advertising
  • Advertise With Us
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story