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Multi-Truck Accident in Susquehanna County Results in Hospitalization

Truck drivers are accustomed to the hardships of the road. Long hours, lonely highways, and physical discomfort are some of the day to day stresses that truckers face. Then there is the all too real threat of highway accidents.

In the wee hours of the morning of Monday, August 27 a tractor trailer failed to stop before slamming into another tractor trailer. This trailer in turn hit a third, ending the chain reaction. The driver of the first commercial vehicle was taken to Wilson Medical Center to be treated for his injuries. Police say this man will be charged for his role in the crash. The other parties were not seriously injured.

This incident ended much better than many. In 2005, 4,932 trucks were involved in fatal crashes. In the same year 82,000 were involved in accidents resulting in injury. These numbers may seem high, but large trucks were only involved in one out of every eight fatal accidents. There were 8,171,363 registered large trucks on the road in 2004 and only 90,932 accidents ended in injury or death. This number, however low in comparison to the total number of trucks on the road, is still higher than anyone would like to see.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has established a No-Zone program in an attempt to educate the public on the safest way to share the road with large commercial trucks. Many motorists are unaware that drivers of large trucks have a limited view when operating such a bulky vehicle. This limited view results in blind spots where a truck can lose sight of an entire vehicle. In addition, smaller vehicles may cut in front of large trucks in traffic, not accounting for the extra distance these big rigs need to come to a complete stop. The No-Zone program gives truck drivers a chance to use their real life knowledge to educate the average driver.

FMCSA has initiated other safety programs as well. One such program, Be Ready Be Buckled, is aimed at encouraging drivers of commercial motor vehicles to use their seat belts. Nearly half of all commercial truck driver fatalities in 2004 involved a driver not wearing a seat belt. For over ten years transportation accidents have been the leading cause of on the job fatalities. The simple step of buckling ones seat belt may work to drastically reduce these numbers. While over 80% of passenger drivers wear a safety belt only 54% do so in the commercial driving industry. The program hopes to decrease the number of serious injuries and deaths that stem from the lack of seat belt use by commercial truck drivers.

Professional truck drivers have a demanding job and more often than not they perform the job beautifully. However, there are steps that the general public and the drivers themselves can take in order to make our highways safer. Despite using every precaution, accidents do happen. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident please do not hesitate to call attorneys Carroll and Carroll at (570) 882-8683.