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NTSB Identifies Tractor-Trailer Vulnerabilities

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently made recommendations to combat the rising number of large truck fatalities.

The number of people killed in large truck accidents in Florida has risen each year since 2009, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  In 2013, more than 200 people died in our state in accidents involving large trucks.

Concerned about the number of large truck accident fatalities across the nation, the NTSB released a letter to the NHTSA outlining safety recommendations for tractor-trailers in April.

The recommendations by the NTSB result from earlier research on single unit trucks and other truck safety studies.

Points made by the NTSB concerning large truck safety include:

  • Blind spots: Operators of large trucks are unable to see significant portions of the area around their vehicles. According to the NTSB, these blind spots put motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists at considerable risk. The NTSB suggests countermeasures to blind spots that included enhanced mirrors to reduce or eliminate blind spots. The agency also recommends use of on-board technology to detect vehicles and persons in the vicinity of the tractor-trailer.
  • Underride: Cars thrust under the side and rear of a tractor-trailer during an accident remain a severe danger. So-called underride accidents are often fatal to motorists. The NTSB recommends installation of side-underride guards on large trucks and improvement of existing rear-underride guards on all trucks.

Among other recommendations, the NTSB also suggested local law enforcement agencies gather more complete information on large truck accidents for use in federal databases.

Advancements in truck safety could improve your chances of surviving an accident with a large truck. Always wear a seatbelt and if injured in a truck accident in Jacksonville, seek experienced legal counsel.

Jacksonville, Florida truck accident attorney Shane Herbert also contributed to this post.

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