The Chief Safety Officer of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration addressed truck drivers in Oregon and across the country at the annual 2019 Transportation Research Board meeting. During the meeting, he delivered the most recent crash statistics available. According to statistics, the number of deaths in large-truck-occupant crashes increased each year from 2015 to 2017. Additionally, the number of fatalities involving large trucks increased.
Though the CSO did not place the blame of the increase in fatalities solely on truck drivers, he did encourage truck drivers to decrease truck accidents by using their hands. Truck drivers were encouraged to use their hands to use their turn signals and flashers to communicate with other drivers on the road. Furthermore, truckers were encouraged to use their turn signals well before needing to turn and to use flashers when upcoming traffic stops or slows down.
Drivers were also encouraged to use their hands to cut back on distracted driving. Mirrors, seat belts, air conditioning vents and radio volume should all be adjusted prior to operating the vehicle in order to cut back on looking away from the road. If hands-free tablets and cell phones are allowed by the trucking company, they should be placed in a position on a seat so they don’t fall off when braking suddenly or turning.
Drivers who operate commercial vehicles are required to follow strict laws and regulations in order to keep others safe. When a truck driver doesn’t follow those rules or becomes distracted while driving, serious crashes may result. A lawyer may be able to help a victim affected by a trucking accident receive compensation for their losses.