Nighttime Often the Time for Serious Large Truck Accidents
By Richard N. Shapiro, Attorney
During 2008, large trucks such as tractor trailers and 18-wheelers were involved in traffic accidents that injured 70,567 Americans, according to reports collected by state agencies and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Another 4,229 people died that year as a result of collisions involving semis and other large trucks.
A significant number of these serious and fatal truck accidents occurred at night. In fact, in 2006, when 5.027 people died as a result of truck accidents on America’s roads and highways, the Center for National Truck and Bus Statistics determined that 32.5 percent of fatal large truck accidents occurred between 8 pm and 7 am–the darkest hours of each day and the hours when drivers are most fatigued and least alert.
Two factors in particular can contribute to truck accidents at night. The first is truck drivers “over driving” their headlights. The second is drowsy driving.
An article posted to the Naval Safety Center Web site offers this definition of over driving headlights:
The faster you drive, the more time and distance you need to stop, and the less time you have to react. At night, when you can see only as far as your headlights allow, the situation is worse. If you go too fast, you will overdrive your headlights.
The article further notes that standard headlights illuminate the road ahead for up to 350 feet on a straightaway. This visibility increases to 450 feet when a driver turns on the high beams. The best most fully loaded 18-wheelers can do when traveling at 65 mph is come to a complete stop after 355 feet. New federal rules should soon improve that braking performance, but it is easy to see how trucks drivers can over drive their headlights by not slowing down at night or when they are driving on roads with many turns and curves.
Of course, large truck drivers must be awake and alert enough to use their brakes when necessary. The only way to ensure this is to make sure drivers get enough rest each day. Drivers must already abide by federal rules regarding hours of services, and the FMCSA has recently agreed to lengthen required rest periods for interstate truck drivers.
Better braking systems and more-rested drivers should improve nighttime safety for large trucks. However, the hours between sunset and sunrise will continue to be a risky time for traffic accidents involving large trucks as long as truckers over drive their headlights.
EJL
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January 23, 2010
Posted in: Virginia (VA) Trucking Injury/Accidents Topics
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