When an accident involving a vehicle occurs, many variables enter into play. Thankfully, many of them have simple solutions. Many people lose their lives in incidents involving small and large trucks. Still, this number can be reduced with a dedication to safe driving habits and greater attention to vehicle manufacturing.
The following data will help truck drivers, trucking businesses, and other drivers appreciate the gravity of the problem of truck-related dangers.
1. Truck defects put the drivers at risk and jeopardize public safety.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 3,852 individuals were killed in heavy truck accidents in 2015. Sixty-nine percent of the fatalities included people riding in cars, while only sixteen percent were truck occupants. Fifteen percent of those killed were people on foot, bike, or motorcycle. Researchers from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) collaborated with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center to investigate potential causes of crashes involving trucks on the interstate. Major truck problems treble truck drivers’ collision risk, according to their research. Several factors that either raised or lowered crash probability are detailed in the paper.
On the one hand, problems that put a car out of commission increased the probability of an accident by 362%. However, the research showed that antilock braking systems significantly decreased the likelihood of an accident by 65%. Another factor in lowering accident rates was incorporating various forms of truck safety technology.
2. Everyone on the road is at risk when drivers are sleepy.
Everyone on the road is at risk when drivers are sleepy. More factors that lead to trucking accidents are sleepy drivers. Long-haul truckers are more likely to get into accidents, which can be dangerous for them and other motorists. Worryingly, many truck drivers on long-distance trips claim the federal short-haul exemption when logging their service time.
This means that drivers exempt from keeping records of their hours worked must still adhere to federal legislation governing rest and work periods but are excused from keeping logs of those worked. Due to underreporting, many truck drivers spend far more time than is safe behind the wheel without taking a break.
3. It’s dangerous when trucks don’t have electronic stability control.
Crash avoidance technology may help reduce large truck accidents, says the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and roll stability control technologies reduce the likelihood of accidents involving heavy vehicles.
Tractor trailers and buses must have ESC systems installed as of August 2017. To prevent rollovers and other vehicle loss of control, these devices are designed to counteract over-steering and under-steering.
4. Truck accidents are reduced when speeds are lowered.
The Transportation Institute at Virginia Tech and the American Transportation Research Institute published research in 2012 suggesting that slower truck speeds will reduce the number of accidents on American roads. Thirty-eight thousand trucks and fifteen thousand accidents were analyzed from the fleets of twenty different trucking companies.
To back up its proposed rule mandating greater speed limits for trucks, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) cited this study. Under the new regulations, no commercial vehicle would be allowed to travel at a speed of more than 68 miles per hour. The trucking sector has argued that cars should be required to adopt a new speed mandate if trucks are. However, the available data suggest that resolving speed difference concerns is less pressing than reducing truck speed to keep our roadways safe.
Large and small trucks present significant threats to motorists, bikers, and pedestrians. To ensure the safety of our roadways, we must all cooperate to enforce self-regulation and seek external regulation where necessary.
In conclusion, multiple causes of truck accidents warrant enhanced road safety awareness. Regular vehicle maintenance and safety technology are crucial because truck flaws and technical issues greatly increase the risk of accidents. Driver fatigue is especially dangerous on long-distance drives, so rest and work time limits must be strictly enforced. Trucks using electronic stability control systems have reduced the occurrence of rollovers and other forms of control loss. One of the most important ways to reduce collisions involving trucks is to slow them down. Safer roads can only be achieved via the concerted efforts of drivers, trucking businesses, and government agencies.