Why these 4 blind spots in trucks are still a huge safety problem

A “blind spot” is an area around the vehicle that the driver can’t see in the mirrors. All vehicles have them, but semi-trucks have 4 big blind spots. Here a truck’s blind spots, or “no-zones”: Left side, under the cab mirror; Right side, under the cab mirror and extending out; In front of the truck cab, at least 20 feet; and Behind the trailer, at least 30 feet. Remember, if you can’t see a semi truck’s mirrors, the truck driver can’t see you. While it’s true that it is the truck driver’s responsibility to change lanes safely, and to check for other vehicles, we all have a responsibility to drive safely and avoid crashes whenever possible. Recommended Article: Actual Settlement

Trucking company tells drivers: Don’t stop when you’re tired …

This meme was posted on the Facebook page for a Texas trucking company, Stevens Transport, last week. Is this the message that trucking companies send to tired truck drivers? Don’t comply with federal laws. Don’t concern yourself with anyone’s safety. Due to the controversy—many truck drivers joined safety advocates in expressing concern—the company pulled the Facebook post. In a statement, a trucking company representative blamed “an intern who has been with Stevens Transport for only a few weeks and whose inexperience led him to include a message that was both tone deaf and wrong.” Yes, Stevens Transport posted a “tone deaf ” message. It was “wrong”. It was absurd. But it was not an anomaly.  Bill Graves is the president

6 important details from NTSB report on Tracy Morgan semi-truck crash

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is tasked with investigating serious transportation accidents. On August 11, the NTSB issued their initial report on a 2014 fatal semi-truck crash that killed one man, and seriously injured several others—including actor Tracy Morgan. See background, details on the fatal truck crash Six important details from the semi-truck crash report 1. The semi-truck could have stopped at 45 mph. The crash occurred at the start of a work zone. Multiple signs, beginning a mile back, alerted drivers to the work zone speed limit: 45 mph. The truck driver never slowed down, and struck the rear of the limo van at 65 mph. Had he been traveling at or below the speed limit of 45

Sleepy truckers putting everyone on the road at risk

Commercial truckers who admitted to falling asleep while driving are believed to cause more than 750 fatalities and 20,000 injuries every year. In truth, that estimate is likely quite low. It’s almost impossible to know how many truck accidents crashes sleepy truckers cause. The same is true for car accidents crashes: very few drivers admit to falling asleep at the wheel and causing a crash. But what we do know is fatigued driving is a bigger problem for truckers compared to other drivers, due to the sheer amount of time they spend behind the wheel. Safety Rules Change Keeping Sleepy Truckers on the Road The new changes in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) hours-of-service rules probably won’t help. Truckers are

Family spurs government to action after tragic truck accident

The truck accident crash that’s changing safety laws In May 2013, Marianne Karth and the three youngest of her nine children were driving from their home in North Carolina to Texas to visit family. The Karth’s Crown Victoria came upon a traffic back-up on the interstate, the result of an accident two miles ahead. Behind them, a trucker was pulling a trailer stacked with cars attempted to change lanes. He swiped the Karth’s car. It spun and was hit again by the truck, which pushed the back of the car under a second tractor-trailer truck. AnnaLeah, 17, and Mary, 13, were passengers in the back seat. AnnaLeah was killed instantly. Mary sustained serious head injuries, and died several days later.

Big mistake: Walmart blames victims in Tracy Morgan truck crash case

It’s a horrible—but common—story about a truck crash. A tractor-trailer transporting goods for Walmart rear-ended a limo bus on a highway. Law enforcement’s investigation shows that the truck driver had not slept for 24 hours prior to the crash, and that he failed to pay proper attention as he approached stopped traffic. One passenger was killed and several others were seriously injured in the truck crash, including comedian Tracy Morgan. A lawsuit was filed for the victims’ damages. This week, Walmart’s attorneys filed the defense response to the suit: blaming the victims, claiming that the severity of the injuries was due to passengers failures to wear safety belts. Any attorney who’s worked on trucking and auto accident cases has seen

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