Chances are, if you're heading out for a drive, you're likely to encounter a tractor-trailer or "big rig," particularly if your drive takes you on a major highway or interstate. In terms of sheer size, even the largest of passenger vehicles pales in comparison to these road behemoths, which can be intimidating and raise questions of safety.
According to statistics from TruckInfo.net, it is estimated that there are more than 500,000 trucking companies and more than 3.5 million truckers in the United States. Roughly 96 percent of those companies operate 28 or fewer trucks and 82 percent operate six or fewer trucks. Statistics from 2006 show that the trucking industry reported logging 432.9 billion miles of travel that year.
The site also contains estimates for accident statistics for the trucking industry. As of 2003, the site has noted that there are nearly seven million accidents per year, resulting in a total of nearly 3.5 million cases of personal injury. There are an estimated 41,000-45,000 traffic-related deaths per year in the United States, less than nine percent (3,690-4,050) of which involve commercial vehicles. Four percent of those truck accidents are related to fatigue and alcohol was involved in 0.06 percent.
It doesn't even take that much speed to cause an injury in an accident. As TruckInfo notes, a vehicle traveling at a mere five mph can cause a "whiplash" injury in a collision.
One more interesting fact noted by the site: The most solitary tree in the world is in an oasis in Central Africa's Tenere Desert. The nearest tree to it is at least 31 miles away. A truck collided with that tree in 1960.
So what are some ways to increase safety around big rigs? The "safety" section of Everything-Tractor-Trailer.com says that it begins with three simple words: maintenance, training, and buy-in.
There is no possible way for a tractor-trailer to be considered "safe" if it is not properly maintained. All of the safety equipment in the world is useless if it fails to work when necessary because of a lack of proper maintenance.
Training is another essential part of safety, and doesn't necessarily apply to just drivers. If a driver is not properly trained, how could he or she possibly be considered safe behind the wheel? By that same token, if the person(s) responsible for the vehicle and equipment's maintenance lack the proper training, then there is a high risk of equipment failure, causing more risk of an accident.
And of course, the buy-in. If any one of the driver, maintenance worker, or even boss does not buy in to the idea of safety, then they are not only putting themselves at risk, but they are potentially placing you and your family in danger as well.
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