In a joint effort to reduce road accidents involving tractor-trailers, three organizations, the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association, the Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the state highway patrol, are achieving results and saving lives on Pennsylvania highways.
According to FMCSA.dot.gov, 2009 was the trucking industry's safest since the federal government began keeping records in 1975. Semi-truck accident fatalities on American highways fell from 1.17 in 2008 to .972 per 100 million miles driven, while actual fatalities dropped from 4,245 to 3,380.
Random Police Inspections Curb Personal and Mechanical Infractions
Pennsylvania state police were strong contributors to the state's effort through consistent gathering of timely, accurate crash information and heightened roadside inspections.
Acting together, specially trained officers from the state highway patrol, Public Utility Commission, regional and local police departments conducted more than 93,000 random truck inspections in the state in 2009, up 14 percent over the previous year.
In addition to careful inspection of truck brakes, tires and other mechanicals, officers also checked driver credentials to verify that haulers had valid commercial truck licenses. The state-wide effort garnered a top FMCSA rating, according to the PoconoRecord.com, and uncovered more than 88,000 safety violations.
National Organizations Root Out Problem Drivers
In the interests of public safety, the American Trucking Association, a national organization that promotes truck driver interests, supports state and federal safety compliance efforts. "Our carriers (trucking companies) mandate drug testing for their drivers," said Rob Abbott, ATA vice president of safety and policy, in PoconoRecord.com. "We're strong advocates for increasing funding for roadside truck inspections."
The Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association (PMTA), also partners with other agencies to develop and promote safety initiatives for both truckers and the general public. An annual PMCA-sponsored awards program also recognizes member drivers with a year or more of crash-free driving.
An FMCSA-developed scoring system is also used by Pennsylvania state police to help identify and check violation-prone drivers, a practice that benefits safety-conscious truckers and other motorists. Said Abbott: "Statistics show it's driver behavior, not vehicle failure, which is more likely to cause accidents."
Though many organizations are working to make Pennsylvania's roads safer, commercial trucks still cause an alarming number of injurious and fatal accidents each year. If you or a loved one has been in injured in an accident involving a commercial truck, please contact an experienced attorney to explore your legal options.
