We speak lots concerning the ever-increasing dimension of passenger vehicles, and their usually deadly affect on just about every part that isn’t a truck. However pickups, irrespective of how large or how heavy, don’t examine to the true apex predators of American roadways: Tractor trailers.
New information from the NHTSA, through the Truck Security Coalition, reveals large upswings in fatalities attributable to 18-wheelers over the previous few years. The information dates again to 2021, however it’s nonetheless damning — exhibiting a 71 % rise in massive truck fatalities from 2009 to 2021. From the Truck Security Coalition:
The report offers invaluable insights into one of many worst years for truck crash deaths in trendy historical past. NHTSA stories that giant truck fatalities surged, passing 5,700 deaths. As well as, there have been over 155,000 accidents. Since 2009, truck crash deaths have elevated by 71 %.
The Coalition argues that this information reveals a deep want for reform, and lays out paths that lawmakers ought to take to try to stop these ever-increasing deaths, together with velocity limiters, computerized braking, and extra:
The Truck Security Coalition calls on Congress and the US Division of Transportation (DOT) to aggressively pursue commonsense options to scale back truck crash violence on our roads:
- DOT/NHTSA should expeditiously finalize its Automated Emergency Braking rule for all lessons of CMVs.
- DOT/FMCSA should expeditiously full its velocity limiter rule for CMVs.
- Congress should require DOT/NHTSA to conduct facet underride guard affect testing, not doing so fails to adjust to Congressional intent within the Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Act (IIJA).
- Congress should totally fund DOT to conduct its lifesaving work with out unsafe riders that prohibit FMCSA from implementing particular security provisions for teen truckers within the Secure Driver Apprenticeship Program
- DOT/FMCSA should expeditiously require new motor carriers to cross a information examination proving that they know and might implement Federal Motor Provider Security Rules (FMCSRs) required to securely function a motor service enterprise, together with these hauling hazardous supplies. At present, DOT permits anybody to function in interstate commerce who information acceptable paperwork with out requiring any proof they know the foundations to maintain truck drivers and all roadway customers secure.
A few of these guidelines are already in place, however others will doubtless be a topic of debate for months, years, or a long time to return. We love our fast and efficient infrastructure legal guidelines right here within the States.
