The seriousness of truck accidents has been a big topic in the news lately in the wake of such fatal collisions as those that involved comedian Tracy Morgan and the college softball team that tragically lost four players. Both of those truck accidents took place last year and serve to highlight the deadly force that commercial vehicles can unleash upon much smaller cars and trucks. The disturbing fact of the matter is that commercial truck accidents result in nearly 4,000 fatalities each year—a number that has grown four years in a row.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is trying to spread the message about just how serious this issue is. The agency would also like to see highway regulators enacting more stringent legislation aimed at protecting the innocent individuals who take to the roadways in Missouri, Illinois, and the rest of the nation. The NTSB recently announced in a news conference that it believes priorities simply must change in 2015 and focus on utilizing anti-collision technology, do a better job at limiting truck driver hours behind the wheel, and tighten the rules governing truck companies that have a higher record of accidents.
According to statistics, America has about 2 million truck drivers who are currently employed in the commercial trucking industry. Reports indicate that these truckers are involved in collisions that claim the lives of some 4,000 individuals each year. The NTSB has established a list of more than 100 safety recommendations it believes will help increase truck safety. The main problem is that the agency does not have the actual authority to enforce these recommendations.
Instead, the NTSB has released a “Most Wanted List” setting out recommendations for transportation improvements it would like to see enacted in 2015. The agency would like to see safety improvements not just in the commercial trucking industry, but also improved airline pilot compliance, decreased distracted driving, reduced alcohol and drug impairment while driving, and better rail tank-car safety. This Most Wanted List serves to illustrate areas that the agency believes are ripe for improvement, despite the fact the NTSB cannot enforce the actual recommendations it makes.
Hopefully, the agency’s efforts to highlight these methods of increasing truck safety will result in legislators taking note. Those who travel on Missouri and Illinois roads deserve to do so under the safest conditions possible. In instances where safety regulations do not prevent dangerous truck accidents, injured parties may be able to seek compensation under personal injury or wrongful death laws. These individuals may wish to consider calling us, free of charge, at 1-888-586-7041 to find out more about their rights under the law.
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Source Article: http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article6248964.html