Every year, it seems like there are more trucks on the roads and highways that become more congested. If you’ve noticed this, you aren’t alone. The bad news is that in Ohio; the number of truck-related crashes have increased. According to a Dayton Daily News report from Sept. 18, Ohio has seen an increase in commercial vehicle crashes and fatalities year over year for the last four years. What’s causing such a heavy rise in incidents? Some blame the economy and how many cars and trucks are on the roads together.
While truck operators and owners suggest that trucking safety has improved and that the statistics show an overall drop in crashes from 10 to 20 years ago, that doesn’t explain the unusual rise in fatalities and crashes in Ohio. Safety advocates want to see more done to help prevent these crashes in the first place.
Nationally, truck crashes are down, which draws even more concern for Ohio. Why is Ohio going against the national trend? It could be truck drivers who are fatigued and overworked behind the wheel. Distractions can result in delayed reaction times, and for large vehicles that need more time to stop, that can mean the difference between slowing and avoiding a collision and hitting another vehicle.
Reducing these crashes can happen with the right safety training and regulations, but for someone who has been hit, that safety training is too little too late. Those who are injured have a right to file a claim for compensation, which can also help show the costs of poor regulations and dangerous driving to the community and to individuals.
Source: Dayton Daily News, “Dangerous highways: Truck-related crashes increase in Ohio,” Michael Cooper and Thomas Gnau, Sep. 18, 2016
