Unskilled Truckers Creating Deadly Roadways for Passenger Vehicles
In April of 2019, a 23-year-old lost control of the truck he was driving and plowed into stopped traffic in Colorado. This tragic accident cost four people their lives, and catastrophically injured six others. While the driver was later found guilty of vehicular manslaughter, a bigger problem still remains. Trucking companies across the U.S. are facing a labor shortage and as a result, untrained and unskilled drivers are getting behind the wheel of 10,000+ lbs. trucks. The result of which can be deadly.
In the United States, the trucking industry accounts for nearly three quarters of all product transport. It also accounts for nearly three quarters of all fatal passenger vehicle accidents. Nearly 97% of all casualties in trucking related accidents were those in passenger vehicles. It is predicted that by 2030 trucking related casualties will become the 5th leading cause of death in the United States.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) the top cause of truck accidents is mechanical defects, such as the brake failure in the tragic 2019 crash. In these instances, proper training can be the difference between life and death when these failures occur. Knowing how to maintain control of the truck or how to use safety features designed specifically for the possibility of losing control of the truck, such as a runaway truck ramp, can save lives.
A runaway truck ramp is a safety feature present on many major roadways for trucks that are out of control. These ramps are filled with gravel or sand and use kinetic energy to rapidly slow large vehicles safely away from passenger vehicles. In the case of the Colorado crash, runaway ramps were available for the driver to use for instances of brake failure or otherwise. Unfortunately, due to lack of sufficient training, the driver failed to use them, resulting in deadly consequences.
The average truck is about 16 times the size and weight of most passenger vehicles. Trucking companies have a responsibility to ensure that their employees have the proper training, supervision, and experience to be able to handle a vehicle of that size. When companies neglect this responsibility, they are sending potentially deadly weapons onto the road, and when tragedy strikes, the company must be held accountable.
Neither you nor your loved ones should be at risk of serious injury or death due to negligent trucking companies and untrained drivers. The Yost Legal Group works diligently to provide justice for those who have faced wrongful injury or death due to the carelessness of others. If you or a loved one has been affected by a truck accident, we may be able to help. Contact us today at 1 800 YOST LAW for a free consultation.