In recent weeks there have been several fatal accidents caused by a loose tire flying off a truck and striking other vehicles. Unfortunately, there are unforseen events that can lead to fatalities but THIS is NOT one of them.
Truck drivers and their respective semi truck companies have a responsibility to maintain their vehicles in a manner that ensures the highest possible standard of safety for themselves and the other drivers with whom they share the road.
The trucking industry must be required to demonstrate that they have met regular and rigorous safety inspections. In addition, drivers are expected to do a 'walk around' their vehicle each time they set off on a road trip. One of the things they are supposed to look for is wear and tear on tires that could lead to a tire blow out, injury or wrongful death.
Some federal oversight agencies have offered that nearly twenty percent of semi trucks on the roads today have some type of defect that could result in a crash.
This could be anything from faulty brake systems to worn engine components. Worse yet, these same government organizations admit that only TWO PERCENT of semi trucks ever undergo an annual inspections because the trucking companies are privy to inspection dates and deliberately keep faulty trucks off the road during the window of time that the inspections occur.
The best way to change the current atmosphere is to let your representatives know that you insist on more strict safety regulations across the board in the trucking industry.
In an era of anti-regulation you should know that the trucking regulations, if followed to the letter would save countless lives every year.
Greg Baumgartner is a Houston personal injury attorney and the founder of the Baumgartner law firm, which is dedicated to helping injury victims seek civil justice. For a free no obligation consultation with a personal injury attorney in Texas call the Baumgartner firm.
