April 4, 2019
If you regularly take to the road in Pennsylvania, chances are good that you have come into close contact with long-haul truckers. Many of them log more than 60 hours on a weekly basis. It can be grueling, boring and tedious work leading to exhaustion and danger.
We all know that truckers never want to be responsible for truck accidents, yet these dangerous crashes continue to occur. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has identified several problem areas that could lead to truck accidents. These include:
Tight scheduling: NIOSH data indicates that 73 percent of truckers say their deadlines are much too tight. Tight schedules may result in speeding, fatigued driving and violations of the driving-hour regulations, all of which can cause crashes.
Lack of training: When asked, 38 percent of truckers admit that they did not get enough training when they became truck drivers. Improper training can lead to serious truck accidents.
Unsafe driving conditions: Of the truckers asked, 24 percent reported that they often continue to drive in spite of dangerous conditions like bad weather, fatigue and bad traffic. Additionally, 47 percent of truckers say they drive under these conditions sometimes.
We understand how the pressures associated with an occupation can make people feel as if they have no choice but to comply with employer demands, even when they realize the danger. What will it take to get everyone on board with putting safety first? We believe the answer lies in holding those responsible for crashes liable whenever negligence of any kind is a factor.
