Be Safe this Labor Day
Contributor
(866) 735-1102 Ext 710
With the long Labor Day weekend approaching, it is sobering to recall that there are approximately sixty thousand vehicle accidents that result in fatalities, and of those tragedies, almost one tenth involve large trucks. Large tucks and trailers are more likely to cause or be involved in fatal automobile accidents, and surprisingly the majority occur during daylight hours.
The size and weight of semi trucks pose significant threats in themselves. A consumer group, Public Citizen, told Congress in 2008, “There is overwhelming scientific evidence that shows the larger trucks get, the more difficult they are to control, the longer they take to stop, and the more dangerous they are to the motoring public.” One truck safety advocacy group, Road Safe America, puts it this way: The impact of an 80,000 pound tractor trailer going 70 miles per hour is equal to a car going 360 miles an hour.
Crashes involving large trucks, in 2007, involved fatalities to 75% of occupants of other vehicles. In 51% of the large truck crashes, both the truck and the impacted vehicle were proceeding straight at the time.
Some of these accidents are due to "over-driving" by the driver. Truck drivers are sometimes compensated based upon the number of miles they drive in a day and the more they drive, the more they get paid. This motivates drivers trying to eke out a living to drive beyond the number of hours that would be safe.The average truck driver makes 30 cents a mile, which accounts to an average of 32,000 a year, with the income completely dependent on mileage driven, truckers are encouraged to engage in over-driving. Some important legislation was passed recently, which increased the number of hours truck drivers are legally allowed to operate their vehicle within a 24 hour period. Currently with the new legislation truck drivers are allowed to drive 11 hours per work period. Truck drives are required to keep a log book of all hours and miles driven in order to ensure safety of drivers and those on the road, however this requirement goes widely unchecked by employers.
Defective maintenance is another cause of many truck crashes. Trading profts for safety by operating trucks without stabndard safety checks; running trucks with known defects in order to save on maintenance costs; and delaying deficiency correction that should place the trucks out of service are all causes contributing to an increasing accident rate.
With the upcoming holiday travel and even in your daily commute, take appropriate steps to ensure you safety on the road. Staying out of a truck driver’s blind spots, and avoiding “wolf packs”, or congested highway traffic, will make you less susceptible to possible accidents. Also, checking your vehicle’s oil, tire pressure, and other preventative maintenance will contribute to road safety. Having an enjoyable vacation starts with having a safe trip.
Be safe; arrive safe; enjoy your holiday.
