When New Jersey prosecutors charged the truck driver who crashed into comedian Tracy Morgan's limo, they said the man behind the wheel had not slept in more than 24 hours. Not long after that accident, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted to rescind some of the rest requirements for big rig drivers.
On this edition of Up to Date, Steve Kraske speaks with a panel about the impact current regulations have on the truckers charged with getting goods to market on time. They also discuss what a lack of quality sleep does to the brain and body, and look at what changes to existing laws could mean for highway safety.
Guests:
- Todd Spencer is Executive Vice-President for the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA).
- Jeff Burns is an attorney at Dollar, Burns & Becker Trial Attorneysof Kansas City specializing in truck crash litigation.
- Dr. Damien Stevens is board certified in Sleep Medicine and pursues research on sleep at the University of Kansas Hospital.
