The problem is, the deaths and destruction caused by the unsafe working conditions of an overtired or asleep driver behind the wheel of a multiton truck.
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This is a completely seperate issue. If a trucker drinks while driving who is culpable? If a trucker puts others at risk with irresponsible behavior, such as trying to stay up for 3 days strait then the trucker is criminally liable and his case will then be judged by the courts. The role of the person on the other end of the contract is meaningless.
All I know is that, like all needless, pointless and hurtful regulations imposed by government, the current rules are routinely flaunted by many, if not most, current truck drivers.
I used to routinly drive from Tallahssee Fl to West Chester Pennsylvania, a 20 hour drive in my CRX, by myself and without a radio. Should I be thrown in Jail?
Irregardless, the whole point is that the criminal issue of endagering other drivers needs to be legally seperate from a company offering such contracts such as Wall-Mart.
To not do so is opening up the gates to Tyranny and inhibiting freedom, liberty, and degrading morality, by the passing of endless emotional knee jerk regulations and rules until all enterprise and inovation has been stiffled by the 'nanny state'.
And yeah, private roads would solve this debate. But thats another issue. :)
That is an interesting take on it, but consider this: Should companies be permitted to offer contracts which stipulate that the driver drive drunk? Sure, if that happened you could pin it all on the drivers, they weren't forced to take the contract... but highway deaths would skyrocket, and I, for one, wouldn't do any driving.
Driving in a CRX is not nearly as taxing as driving a semi. If you've never driven one or ridden in one then you couldn't possibly understand the difference.
Holding semi truck drivers to a certain number of hours a day is not needless, pointless or hurtful. It's smart.
If WalMart wants 16 hour days then they can buy sleepers and employ team drivers. There's no reason the rest of us should be endangered to further improve their bottom line.