From 2008 through 2017, an average of about 219 people died per year because of underride crashes involving large trucks. These crashes occur when smaller vehicles collide with the side or back of a tractor-trailer and slide underneath. They are among the most fatal crashes…
In July 2018, a Texas jury awarded about $101 million to a man who suffered injuries after a crash with an 18-wheeler. The jury found the truck driver to be 70 percent at fault and the company he was driving for—Frac Tech Services International (FTS)—30…
When traveling, a rest stop can offer a place to stretch your legs, get something to eat, or even pass out in the car seat for a while. A new study suggests that rest areas may do even more for truck drivers—they may help reduce…
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), states that in 2015—the last year for which data are available—4,311 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal crashes. This was an 8 percent increase over 2014, and a 26 percent increase from the low of 3,432…
After an airplane crash, investigators often focus on finding the “black box,” which is an event data recorder (EDR) that can help provide important clues as to what happened right before the plane went down. Many commercial 18-wheeler trucks and tractor-trailers have similar EDRs that…
Safety advocates have been trying for years to electronically limit speeds of tractor-trailers on highways. That National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposed a new rule last August that would equip heavy-duty vehicles with technological devices that…
Though we may often think of the driver as the liable party when it comes to large truck accidents, there are often a number of other parties that may share in the responsibility for any injuries that may have occurred. It’s important to determine every…
Drug abuse and driving for too many consecutive hours were factors in a deadly semi-truck crash in Tennessee in June 2015. Six people were killed in that accident, including a middle school band director, and a mother, her daughter, and her two granddaughters. Now, three…
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), estimates for the number of traffic deaths for the first half of 2015 show a disturbing upward tick. Though there was a slight decline (0.1 percent) in the number of people killed in auto accidents in…
On June 27, 2015, Benjamin S. Brewer was driving a semi truck and trailer along Interstate 75 in Tennessee. He was working for Cool Runnings Express Inc., a transportation company—apparently making his first fun, according to some news reports. Because of road construction, traffic was…
