Posted in: | Mar 10,2020
A federal trucking safety summit scheduled for later this month is expected to focus on newer challenges and advanced technologies to face these challenges. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently released a statement expressing concern over the increase in truck accident fatalities over the past few years.
At a Transportation Research Board meeting in January, Feral Motor Carrier Safety Administration Commissioner Jim Mullen expressed his intention to prioritize a reduction in fatalities involving large truck accidents in the year 2020. The Safety Summit planned for March 19 is expected to include federal regulators, freight and trucking companies, drivers, and developers of trucking safety technology, as well trucking safety groups and other stakeholders.
Between 2017 and 2018, there was a 4.6 percent increase in the number of truck accident fatalities across the country. In 2016, the number of truck occupants killed in accidents involving large commercial trucks, semi rigs and 18- wheelers was 815. That number increased to 885 in 2018. The Summit is expected to focus on passenger car as well truck occupant fatalities, as well as the technologies and laws that can help reduce these deaths.
An accident involving a large truck weighing up to 80,000 pounds can be very serious, and have devastating consequences. These are large, heavy and bulky vehicles and the impact of an accident with a tractor trailer can place the occupants of the smaller vehicle at risk of serious injuries in an accident. In any accident involving a semi truck and a smaller vehicle, it is the occupants of the smaller vehicle that are at a higher risk of injuries in an accident.
Large truck accidents injure or kill thousands of people ever year. Most of these injuries are serious, and survivors may spend weeks and months in recovery from these injuries. Victims may also be looking at long -term medical expenses, in the form of costs of surgeries, medications as well as assisted living and home modifications to help them live a normal life.
