According to reporting in MyFoxDFW, the federal accident investigators are pushing to investigate the authorities that oversee commercial vehicles. According to the investigators, there are serious questions that need to be answered about whether the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is doing its job. This follows the investigation of four separate accidents that resulted in 25 fatalities between them.

One of the investigators emphasized that commercial carriers need to be dealt with before accidents occur, not after. The investigations that led to the criticism reveals some grim facts.

In one accident, a bus that overturned killed 11 passengers and the driver. Records revealed that, when the carrier was inspected by federal authorities prior to the crash, the investigators did not check the brakes on the vehicles. The vehicles had previously been cited for having shortcomings in spot inspections.

One accident revealed that the driver of a bus that went off a road and ended up killing nine people had been on duty for 92 hours prior to the incident. There is a federal limit of 70 hours on duty.

Accidents involving busses, trucks and other heavy vehicles have the potential to be particularly deadly. Because of this, inspections are supposed to be carried out on a regular basis to ensure that the vehicles are as safe as possible. Additionally, the amount of time that drivers are allowed to be on duty is limited to ensure that they are able to discharge their duties safely.

When trucking and commercial vehicle companies don’t keep up their obligations in terms of safety, there is vast potential for serious harm and death. These companies are usually well-protected by good legal counsel, so it’s imperative to get a Dallas truck accident lawyer to help with your case if you’re involved in a Dallas truck crash.