| In the United States, some of the worst | | | | to both the drivers, the companies that employ |
| automobile accidents involve semi-trailers in some | | | | them, and to other drivers on the road. Some |
| way. These large trucks are also known as big | | | | possible ideas for the future are to have rollover |
| rigs, 18-wheelers, or tractor trailers. There are a | | | | warning alarms, collision avoidance systems, or |
| number of factors that lead to these dangerous | | | | even a truck's version of a "black box" data |
| and catastrophic crashes. The preventable causes | | | | recorder. Any change will take time and money, |
| of accidents include driver fatigue, speed, | | | | however, something many companies are |
| substance abuse, overloaded freight, as well as | | | | reluctant to put forth. Without improvements |
| many others. An issue that can lead to accidents | | | | though, trucking court cases will continue to be |
| that drivers do not have control over, however, | | | | brought up against negligent truck drivers and the |
| is maneuverability and visibility. Truck drivers are | | | | companies that they represent. The accidents |
| not able to see certain areas surrounding their | | | | mentioned above, along with others, have started |
| truck and may therefore miss nearby traffic and | | | | people questioning the reliability of the commercial |
| merge into it. Drivers also cannot maneuver the | | | | driver licensing system. Drivers already must |
| vehicle as fast as a small car, making some | | | | meet higher safety standards than other vehicles, |
| accidents harder to avoid. Safety should be | | | | are subject to federal regulations that other |
| paramount to any person in the truck driving | | | | vehicles aren't, and have are numerous rules that |
| profession. Because of the sheer size of the | | | | must be followed, such as log books and time |
| vehicle, accidents involving big rigs are often fatal | | | | sheets. In the event of litigation against a driver, |
| to drivers of smaller cars. The freight that a truck | | | | this information would be invaluable to the |
| is carrying also plays a huge role. Some trucks | | | | defendant. Companies also require background |
| carry volatile or other harmful substances that | | | | checks and must continuously evaluate |
| can be extremely dangerous when released to | | | | employees. The system, rules, and procedures |
| the air or jostled around. For example, a trailer | | | | for a safe trucking company are known to many |
| that was carrying black powder rolled over in | | | | people, it is just getting the employees to obey |
| Virginia in the recent past. This event, along with a | | | | those standards that is the problem. The number |
| 1999 train-truck accident in Bourbonnais, Illinois | | | | of preventable accident causes greatly |
| have kept truck safety in the public's mind. The | | | | outnumbers the unpreventable ones when it |
| most basic debate occurring is simply trying to | | | | comes to trucking. Truck drivers have a |
| decide if trucks are a safe means of transport on | | | | responsibility to follow the regulations placed on |
| the nation's highway system. Because so many | | | | them in order to create a safer highway system |
| issues can be traced to driver error or | | | | for everybody. |
| non-compliance, it is very difficult to gauge what is | | | | The Minneapolis Minnesota law firm of Schwebel |
| meant by "safe." Trucking is most likely here to | | | | Goetz and Sieben can provide a semi truck |
| stay, but the methods and tools used to make it | | | | accident attorney or lawyer to Minneapolis MN |
| possible need an improvement. Technology is one | | | | semi truck injury victims. |
| of the ways in which trucking will become safer | | | | |