| Sep 30 |
18 wheeler, diesel truck carnage is steady, but never ‘routine’by Bruce Westbrook
Of course, at the end of the year will come the news that another 40,000 or more Americans have died in traffic accidents. But that cumulative amount spread out over 365 days won’t have the same impact as if those people had died simultaneously, or from one cause. Actually, many will share a cause for their accident. It is called an 18 wheeler. Those six men killed in Florida, who were riding in a van, all died when a tractor trailer loaded with sand ran a stop sign and smashed into them. If it had been another car that hit them, they might have had a chance. But a large diesel truck with a heavy load? Sadly, they didn’t. Those two people who died in an East Texas crash succumbed when their car was mangled after an 18 wheeler rolled over and burst into flames. A total of six 18 wheelers or diesel trucks were involved in this accident, along with the lone car. And the only fatalities? Just the people in the car. The diesel truck drivers all survived. America depends on 18 wheelers, tractor trailers, diesel trucks, big rigs and semi trucks to haul goods and freight. But when such monstrous vehicles share the road with much smaller cars, they bear another, greater responsibility: that of life-guarding safety. And too often that burden is shirked in deference to deadlines, overwork and indifference to safe maintenance. An 18 wheeler isn’t just different from a car in size, but in operation. A large diesel truck can’t stop, change lanes or maneuver as readily and as easily as a car. An 18-wheeler has more blind spots than a car. And an 18 wheeler’s driver, who’s often taking a large load on a long trip pushed by tight deadlines, may be weary and fatigued, lacking the alertness to avoid tragedy. Yet 18 wheelers and diesel trucks zip along at the same speed limit as cars — if not faster — due to money-making imperatives which have nothing to do with safety. And because of these glaringly risky elements, 18 wheelers routinely are involved in horrendous, fatal crashes. Of course, there’s nothing “routine” about any tragedy, even if news reports seem that way. More people died from a diesel truck or 18 wheeler accident? We heard that yesterday — and we’ll likely hear it again tomorrow. But it doesn’t alter the fact that America faces a crisis on its roads, and that crisis, which includes all injuries and fatalities, is particularly alarming when it involves the systematic carnage inflicted by rumbling, heavy, massive trucks. If you or a loved one has suffered in an 18 wheeler or diesel truck traffic accident, then get the help that you need to fight back. Contact an 18 wheeler accident lawyer with Jim S. Adler & Associates, a law firm at which you, at least, will not be treated as a statistic. 3 Responses to “18 wheeler, diesel truck carnage is steady, but never ‘routine’”Leave a Reply |
A problem with waking up Americans about the carnage on their roads and highways is that traffic tragedies, though they take an enormous toll, are incremental. 
This artical is really what is wrong with this contry. You state that in each case that it was the driver of the truck that had errored. In many more case than not, I have seen were the four wheeler or small car has either pulled out in front of a rig, or have got in the “safe zone” of a truck. I understand that these facts are not what you can use to blame a driver. Nor do I think all drivers are innocent, but when you have cars doing u-turns in front of your truck and you only miss them by the grace of God you understand how a driver feels.
Perhaps what’s wrong with this country is an indifference to detail. Read this blog again and you’ll see that I never claimed every accident involving an 18-wheeler was due to 18-wheeler driver error, as you assert. I did point out that 18-wheelers are far more destructive vehicles, and thus place an added burden of safety and responsibility on their drivers, who are often overworked and weary.
You know u need to do both sides to that story u have in the video u know there are alot of good drivers in the trucking world. How about u talke about some of the bad drivers that drive the cars. I am not saying that all truckers are good or bad. But we do it for a living so we are held to a higher standard So yes there are some bad drivers in the trucking jobs but there are alot more good ones then bad but in my 8 yrs of driving i saw more people in little cars and trucks not even pay attention to whats going on around them i say maybe u need to quit blaming the truckers so much and maybe make the people more aware of big trucks. So in all i believe that if ur going to drive that u should be required to take safety corse for cars and big trucks so that the regular driver is informed of what us carrie drivers do and have to go thro to keep are jobs and to try an be safe to!!!! I also beleive that all drivers should be held to the same standard as a truck driver weather they drive a car or big rig. What really burns me more then anything is the fact that a man who is trying to proved for his family will go to jail because he is like a mile from the truck stop that he is going to stop at and a drunk drive hits him and dies so the driver goes to jail just cause he was 15 mins off in his log book and would have been some were else if he was not lieing which i am not saying is right but this man is trying to make a living. Someone tell me what was the drunk driver do?!! I WILL TELL YOU!! He was haveing a good time and was to lazy to do the right thing and a man who made a mystake on his log book who is trying to take care of his family goes to jail for that dumb drunk. IN MY WORDS AN MIND THAT IS THE STUPIDEST THING. The drunk got what he deserves and the drive got the raw end of the stick!!!!! Just because normal car drives are not made to be aware of use and we are held to that higher standard. Well i think its time the normal car driver be held to those standards to.