NTSB Safety Recommendations for the Trucking Industry

Safety in the trucking sector is an important area for federal agencies such as the National Safety Transportation Board (NTSB). In 2015, the agency created several safety recommendations due to the number of deadly crashes and accidents involving truck drivers.

Fatal Truck Accident Statistics

Here are some key findings from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration truck accident data:

• From 2019 to 2020, the number of fatal crashes involving large trucks went from 4,479 to 4,998.
• From 2019 to 2020, the number of injury crashes involving large trucks went from 114,000 to 108,000.

The trucking sector is an important component of the economy in the United States, but its cost to human society keeps increasing.

NTSB Safety Recommendations

The purpose of the NTSB is to investigate accidents involving any means of transportation in the United States, including airplanes, trains, and vehicles. The agency does not have the power to require the application of its policies. The fact that its power is limited certainly explains why many of its recommendations have barely been followed—or haven’t been followed at all—by industry regulators.

The NTSB has suggested the following:

• Trucking firms should ensure that their workers fully comply with current regulations
• Trucking firms should develop mechanisms to anticipate new hazards and come up with ways to mitigate them
• Regulators should elaborate a system allowing them to monitor the amount of rest drivers get before they go back on the road

It seems clear that if all these recommendations were to be adopted, the number of truck accidents would decrease.

Contact a Truck Accident Attorney Today

If you or someone you love has been involved in a commercial truck accident, contact a Truck Accident Lawyer in Lafayette at Wilson Kehoe Winingham. The lawyers at WKW can help you get the compensation you deserve. Call 317.920.6400 or fill out an online contact form for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

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