Single-unit trucks can be very dangerous on the highways

On Behalf of | Dec 4, 2017 | Firm News |

Collisions involving trucks are often particularly dangerous on Kentucky roads. People tend to think of an over-tired tractor-trailer driver who may have been driving long distance more hours than regulations allow.

But how often is there news concerning a firetruck accident?

Firetruck and car collide

As reported by WKYT, just such a crash occurred on a recent morning. A firetruck and a car collided in an intersection. Just prior to the crash, the car was at a stop sign before entering the intersection, but then it entered the intersection and hit the firetruck. Several people, including fire department crew members and the driver of the car, ended up going to a local hospital.

Tragically, one person died. At the time of the report, the authorities did not know if the person who died, who was laying outside of the vehicle, was in the car when it hit the firetruck or was a pedestrian.

Single-unit trucks have unique risks

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, single-unit trucks pose considerable danger on the roads. The safety rules that apply to tractor-trailers do not apply to single-unit trucks. This may be because tractor-trailers cause more fatalities.

However, the NTSB notes that inaccurate reporting and misclassifications may be causing the underestimating of the risks inherent with the single-unit trucks. While only making up 3 percent of registered vehicles and only covering 4 percent of the traveled miles on the roadways, nearly 10 percent of deaths involving passenger motor vehicles implicated single-unit trucks.

The NTSB states that the notable hazards connected to the trucks include the fact that the trucks are heavier than passenger cars and have a higher bumper height. It points to several needed safety improvements, including the following:

  • Preventing cars from under-riding the sides and backside of the trucks
  • Making the trucks more visible or noticeable
  • Improving truck drivers’ ability to notice cyclists, pedestrians and other vulnerable users of the road

The NTSB points out that the societal impact of single-unit truck crashes is significant and includes emergency room visits, hospitalizations, injuries and fatalities.

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