A recent national poll shows a clear majority of its respondents agreeing that, when it comes to motorists, truck drivers are better drivers than are operators of passenger vehicles. Nearly three out of every four of those surveyed persons stated that truck drivers are usually not at fault in truck-passenger vehicle accidents. And a whopping 90 percent of respondents voiced a belief that passenger vehicle drivers are more likely than commercial truck operators to speed.
Such polling results clearly receive a seal of approval from commercial trucking enterprises and industry lobbyists who often seek to ward off challenges from safety agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
In truth, and notwithstanding any polls or statistics that laud commercial truckers and their industry’s commitment to roadway safety, motor vehicle accidents involving large trucks are frequent and often bring outsized and truly tragic consequences.
And the prime catalyst, as noted in an article discussing large-truck risks and safety requirements, is often a distracted driver whose attention has wandered far from the vitally important task at hand.
That can owe to drug/alcohol use, preoccupation with aggressive scheduling requirements, flat-out fatigue and additional factors.
Additionally, of course, clear risks involving 18-wheel rigs and tractor trailers stem from improperly loaded cargo and shoddy vehicle maintenance.
Whatever the causes, safety advocates are increasingly touting the need for enhanced large-truck safety on roads and highways across New York and the rest of the country. As noted in the above-cited article, “fleets continue to adopt collision mitigation systems that help focus driver attention on the road.”
The technology revolution that is currently underway and strongly focused upon making large trucks safer when they are on the move is indeed fascinating. We will take a close look at some of the more noteworthy developments on this front in an upcoming blog post.