18-wheeler Tractor-Trailer Truck Designs Flaw Kills Hundreds of People Every Year According to an online news report published on News4Jax.com, 18-wheeler tractor-trailer truck design flaws cause hundreds of fatal and preventable accidents each year. Statistics indicate that approximately 600 people in the United States are tragically killed every year in accidents referred to as underride […]
According to an online news report published on News4Jax.com, 18-wheeler tractor-trailer truck design flaws cause hundreds of fatal and preventable accidents each year. Statistics indicate that approximately 600 people in the United States are tragically killed every year in accidents referred to as underride collisions. According to many safety advocates, the trucking industry could prevent these deadly underride collisions by improving tractor-trailer trucks’ design. Underride accidents happen when a motor vehicle travels underneath a trailer of the truck, causing a portion of the truck to cut through the windshield and into the interior of the motor vehicle.
Although new trucking laws require tractor-trailer trucks to have underride guards on the rear end of the truck, these features are not required on the side of the trucks. Side underride accidents tragically kill hundreds of people in their own right, while rear underride accidents are still killing hundreds of motorists despite the new, enhanced protections. This is because the underride protection bars often do not meet the standards needed to protect against an accident involving modern vehicles. Also, the truck underride protection bars are not required by law to meet any specific standard. When crashes do occur, we are under rides frequently break or buckle and fail to protect vehicle occupants effectively.
Some truck underride accident studies indicate that the equipment used cannot even prevent underrides at just 35 miles per hour. Although truck accident safety advocates have tried to enact new legislation requiring preventative measures, none of these have passed. Safety advocates believe the trucking industry is managing to prevent such laws from being enacted because they wish to avoid having to spend funds on updating their trucks. Many in the trucking industry complain that adding the guards is expensive and weighs the trucks down, leading to more fuel costs. There are companies manufacturing side guards, including airflow, which creates Angelwing deflectors. According to that company, the devices also improve fuel savings and aerodynamics.
Our 18-wheeler accident attorneys represent those injured or families who lost family members in truck accidents caused by negligence. We invite you to speak with us about your case and an initial consultation, so contact us at 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529), or fill out our case inquiry form, or visit us in person.