Drivers of cargo trucks and buses will have some new rules to follow after the Transportation Secretariat (SCT) implements measures to reduce the number of traffic accidents.

All truck and bus drivers will be required to rest for 30 minutes after driving for five hours.

Bus drivers on routes that are five to seven hours long can omit the half-hour stop only if they rest for four continuous hours after.

If a route is longer than nine hours, there should be a second driver.

Cargo truck operators will be permitted to drive for no more than 14 continuous hours, followed by eight continuous hours of rest. Also, the maximum a driver can be on the road in any 24-hour period should not exceed 14 hours.

Drivers will be required to keep a record of their driving hours and present it to authorities whenever required. Printed and electronic media, along with other technological devices, can be used to aid in record-keeping.

About 16,000 people were killed in traffic accidents in 2015, according to federal health authorities. However, the federal statistics agency, Inegi, says there were only 4,559 fatalities in traffic accidents in 2016.

Meanwhile, the National Public Security System says 11,000 people die annually in traffic accidents.

Source: Milenio (sp)