Each year, there are approximately 500,000 accidents in the United States involving large trucks/tractor- trailers, with 5,000 fatalities. In fact, 1 out of 8 traffic fatalities in America is due to a collision with a truck. Virtually all of these deaths and injuries are restricted to the passengers of the cars struck by tractor-trailers, while the truck drivers usually escaped unscathed.
The fatal crash rate for trucks is 2.6 deaths per one hundred million miles traveled, a statistic more than 50 percent greater than the rate for other vehicles. As well, tractor trailers and trucks are more likey to be involved in multiple vehicle accidents, and eighty percent of all truck accidents include more than 1 vehicle.
The Federal government requires truck operators to have a commercial drivers license and undergo limited drug and alcohol testing. However, due to the continuing number of accidents, the effectiveness of these safety measures is questionable.
Many accidents are caused by truck driver fatigue. In a recent survey, 20 percent of truck drivers admitted falling asleep while driving within a month of the questionnaire. For financial reasons truck...