America's Dangerous Trucks (full documentary) | FRONTLINE
Deadly traffic accidents involving large trucks have surged over the past decade. FRONTLINE and ProPublica investigate one particularly gruesome kind of truck accident - underride crashes - and why they keep happening.
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“These are crashes where a smaller vehicle gets caught under large trucks like 18-wheelers, often with devastating consequences,” says award-winning correspondent A.C. Thompson (“Documenting Hate,” “American Insurrection,” and “Law & Disorder”). “Our new investigation explores what the trucking industry and the government knew about these crashes, when they knew it, and their role in the fight over safety measures that could potentially save thousands of lives.”
America’s Dangerous Trucks is a FRONTLINE production with Midnight Films LLC in partnership with ProPublica. The director is Gabrielle Schonder. The producers are A.C. Thompson, Gabrielle Schonder and Karim Hajj. The correspondent is A.C. Thompson. The writers are A.C. Thompson and Gabrielle Schonder. The editor-in-chief and executive producer of FRONTLINE is Raney Aronson-Rath.
Explore additional reporting on "America’s Dangerous Trucks" on our website and ProPublica’s website:
www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/do...
www.propublica.org/
#Documentary #Trucks #Accidents #Crashes #Traffic
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FRONTLINE is produced at GBH in Boston and is broadcast nationwide on PBS. Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support of PBS viewers and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional funding is provided by the Abrams Foundation; Park Foundation; the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; and the FRONTLINE Journalism Fund with major support from Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation, and additional support from Koo and Patricia Yuen.
CHAPTERS:
Prologue - 00:00
A 16-Year-Old Killed in a Truck Underride Crash - 00:34
What Are Underride Crashes - and Why Are They So Devastating? - 4:38
Jayne Mansfield’s 1967 Death Put Underride Crashes in Spotlight - 8:30
Dept. of Transportation’s Lead Agency on Underride Crashes: NHTSA - 9:52
Truck Rear Guards Met 1998 Federal Regulations But Mostly Failed Crash Tests - 12:26
The Truck Industry Lobby and NHTSA - 17:42
Sen. Gillibrand Seeks Stronger Regulations to Prevent Underride Crashes - 27:54
The Truck Industry’s Reaction to Proposed Underride Regulations - 30:49
Accident Reconstructionist Tests a New Kind of Truck Side Guard - 33:10
Why Is There a Lack of Reliable Data on Truck Underride Crashes and Fatalities? - 38:52
Department of Transportation Insider Speaks Out - 45:10
Credits - 51:58
I’m a truck driver and the biggest issue I see out here is that everyone on the road feels that their time is more valuable than yours. They will do the dumbest things just to save a few seconds on their commute. I see it every day with people in their personal vehicles and commercial trucks as well. No one has patience anymore and will gladly endanger themselves and others for stupid reasons.
Agreed 110% no body leaves enough time, who cares if your a little late, better than killing someone. People need to look ahead and anticipate danger like we do, i feel like i know what a 4 wheeler(car) is gonna do before he even knows just by watching his behavior, people do not see driving as the #1 priority when they are on the road
I agree, but I hope you're not saying we don't need to fix the underride problem because people are dumb and irresponsible drivers. People are dumb and irresponsible, therefore the need for safer trailers.
That's exactly right. And there's even some truck drivers that are guilty of that too. No one is innocent. It's a disease in this country anymore that everyone is in such a hurry and it's true to shave a few seconds off. If your commute people will weave in and out of traffic and cut people off and it's absolutely ridiculous.
I agree 💯
That's just one sided opinion. I've been a semi truck and yard jockey driver. There are lots of passenger drivers who don't know the awareness of dangerous driving in the blindside of the tractor trailer is really stupid. There were many instances of semi tractor trailers tailgating me while I was driving in my passenger car so be honest with yourself on these important matters.
As a truck driver this goes out to all citizen drivers. That space between the tractor-trailer is not for you to squeeze in. Its for safe brake distance. You will get crushed,you can and will loose your life. Also,if you are running late speeding and endangering yourself and everyone else on the road is not worth it.
That Truck driver force the kid off the road and side under.
Yes. Trucks and their drivers kill. We get that.
@@jenniferdurby6552 and more of a chance when drivers take stupid fatal chances.
But you truck drivers be driving crazy also I have almost been ran off the road many times but I thank God for keeping me safe
Me and my Hyundai avoid you like you's my mother-in-law. You take your time and I'll stay tf back here
Don't drive commercially. But as a car driver, I always keep a distance from a big rig whenever possible. Both for my safety, and the truck drivers piece of mind. Just be aware if your on the road with large vehicles, they will not be able to stop/go/turn etc. as fast as you.
thank you! thats what we want cars and commuters to understand. people think they can cut off trucks and not cause issues
You can drive around them safely. Yet many drivers assume right of way as they are larger and on the road for more hours. E-log lateness also make them drive faster if they are behind schedule. I have seen trucks doing 90+mph as they are obviously past their route or trying to make it back to their yard.
Yes but it can still happen, like the lady that got hit and pushed under a trailer.
@@ericscottstevensi am a truck driver truck cant even go 90 max 85
You nailed it, everybody needs to read What you said
'Stay away from the big trucks, son'. My father is a million mile truck driver who worked for the big haulers like CF and Yellow for over 30 years. One of the best pieces of advice he gave me about how to stay safe out on the highway especially on long road trips - where you're in the trucker's world. I do that even in my daily commutes. I stay back from them when following, don't ride along side them any longer than necessary, pass them quickly, give them lots of forward space when merging in front of them and am patient when I'm behind them as they leave from a stop. You should too. Some accidents we have no control over and these mechanical safety devices they're talking about here are a good idea but remember how much control you have to stay safer on the road around trucks. Be aware of them and be very careful around them - stay away from the big trucks.
Please tell your father I said thank you for his service
Agreed. At work I drive a bigger vehicle that wouldn't be subject to side or rear underride, but I still try to employ these rules just as an example for other drivers if nothing else, but also because in my personal vehicle I could easily be decapitated if I were to slide under a truck because I drive a small sedan, and so I try to pass two lanes away where possible, follow at about 100 feet and if I'm still gaining i'm just gonna get over, twice if possible, pass quickly, and give at least 50-100 feet before I merge in front of a truck even if i'm not planning on slowing at all. I've seen the results of many of these crashes, i've read books from insurance adjusters who've seen the results of these accidents, and I'm trying not to go out that way, although it likely wouldn't be the worst way to go cause you'd likely go instantly...but I'm not trying to go before I need to.
Watched some idiot pull up to the right side of a truck as it was making a right turn. He had his right signal on, moved to the left slightly to make space between the trailer and curb, and began his right turn at the same time a Dodge Dakota pulled up to him. That trailer moved that Dakota onto the curb like it was a paper cup.
Think of the truck as 30,000 lbs of steel machinery with God knows who at the controls. It makes sense to limit the amount of time you are near this machinery moving 70mph to the greatest extent possible at all times
Watching car crash videos is a guilty pleasure, but it has also made me more diligent and patient. It has also made me very aware of a trucker's blind spots. Those mirrors on the front help, but they can't fix this issue. It is up to the rest of us to give a respectable distance to truckers and not to linger where they can't see us.
When will Americans learn that corporations and politicians don't care about the people, they care about the money. Greed is a plague in America. TAKE MONEY OUT OF POLITICS!
We know but its hard to change anything from the bottom up
Supreme Court made bribery legal of our politicians. Crony capitalism 101
Then maybe it's time to start anew
@@keithplummer3101 Your comment. This. It's really fucking hard to change anything in this country. Especially with all the divisiveness currently in politics. It became more about just beating the other side, and it's always been about money.
You could take money, politicians, and corporations out of the USA and Life would still be unsafe .. with accidents happening all the time- in every endeavor. Your philosophy doesn't add up.
I drove trucks for 6 years and decided to leave the industry. I will never get rid of my cdl but as far as driving trucks is concerned, I am done. Too many dumbasses on the road. From 4 wheelers, to other truckers to DOT to shipper/receivers, disgusting food at these truck stops, constant road construction, weather and most importantly inconsistent pay. Watching documentaries like this solidifies my decision on leaving the industry.
Im working on getting out too
It's is high paying job for those who does not have good education.
Now if we could just get you to leave the planet.
It seems like good drivers are a rarity these days. Small vehicle drivers and truckers. Both drive like they own the road. Better enforcement is desperately needed but no one seems to care.
Flip flop drivers with their headset on 24-7 are the worst drivers.
I’m an instate trucker in Arizona, yes trailers could be configured differently for safety purposes. But the real problem is those pulling trailers or campers that are not subject to D.O.T. regulations and are very inexperienced at pulling heavy loads. I constantly have four wheelers pull out in front of me or pass me on the shoulder or pass me just to slow down in front of me, and of course the distracted driver unbelievably dangerous. Pay attention and always remain focused and utilize anticipation and discernment and keep a safe following distance.
what about the ones who don't know whether to speed up or slow down right next to you? then you go to pass them and they speed up🤣
I take it you drive on US 95 and AZ 72 between Lake Havasu and Vicksburg, and on the 93 as well.
@@frankmendez323 yerp! the human factor is sooo dangerous, i.e avg human intelligence & /or attentional mental systems abilities. I looong for automated driving for avg ppl.
thank u for this excellent point! THIS is the key issue in the american context, bar none! Compared to hazards of 18wheelers, there's no comparison statistically. So, states need to do far better at regulating and requiring education and/or insurance co's i guess could require it.
I'm getting sick and tired of hearing truckers complain about drivers. Y'all do dangerous crap all the time. Y'all think y'all own the road.
Before getting your drivers license, it should be mandatory to take a class on how to drive around commercial vehicles and the dangers that come with it from being reckless around them. I don’t drive a truck, but I have a huge respect for those guys and girls. They keep America moving and the economy.
I agree with this whole-heartedly. I have never driven a truck but I understand basic physics, understand the huge differences in driving a fully loaded 53' semi vs my Subaru, and understand what truckers go through, especially in traffic in cities.
@@DKanielreith so many drivers are so ignorant when it comes to size and physics of vehicles or are just stupid drivers who don't care about anyone else news flash: car vs semi, the semi will ALWAYS win
@@tomtemple69 Exactly. My wife is foreign and scared to death of semi trucks but I reassure her if she’s alert you can almost always trust the driver is alert and just make your way around them. Never inadvertently brake hard in front of them, etc and you will be fine
@@DKanielreith i've never had issues with semi trucks because i've driven one before and realize how much room they need to stop and how hard it is to manuever something so huge plus im not an a-hole driver
I am a truck driver and I agree completely with your statement. I drive 6 nights a week and every night I have to deal with drivers who drive next to me. One tire blow out is all it takes for a horrible accident to occur that can be completely avoided if they just pass me and don't slow down and sit next to me. Most times I have to slow down just to get them away from me. But as shown in this documentary, some of these accidents are a result of the truck driver. This is because DOT has made it easier for inexperienced drivers to get a CDL. This job is not as simple as driving a vehicle. Proper attitude and patience should be REQUIRED for this job.
As an Owner Operator for the last 30+ years, I have (on a daily basis) saved car drivers from going under my trailer by watching their actions as the merge onto the highway. Before cell phones it wasn't as bad (food, makeup, cigarettes), but since everyone now has a computer in their hand, the amount of car drivers who are merging distracted is massive.
I know what you mean, I'm just a driver, but I see idiots, digging in their smartphones,on the road every day. All modern cars,loaded with all kinds of electronics junk, and missing one vital improvement - smartphone blocker.
For Sure cell phones have accidents deaths have increased by UNDERRIDE ... Certainly due Inadequate Manufacturing & Operations of Tractors on the Highways... they shouldn't be allowed together on small roads...😢
Yes Good points, thank you. Accordingly, most every car, suv, mini-van, light pickup truck model in recent two decades increasingly are built with GPS/ Computer monitors/ Mobile phone interface/ TV screen/ Back-up camera, interactive screen on dashboard, telematics, = distractions galore. They are besides, entertainment, loud sounds/ music, on-board voice announcements to car driver, lane-drift warnings, etc, etc thus whether captivating, entertaining, distracting driver by information overload. Roads have become saturated with all sorts of traffic signs especially evident are suburban and more intensely saturated with signs urban /city roads. The high-tech, gov ministries, marketing, msm, and car manufacturers are pushing self-parking, self-correcting, self-driving cars, 'safety features'. Those are double edge broad swords enticing overreliance on computerisation whilst increasing obliviousness, recklessness, etc = bad net results. Most every suburban, urban /city are on delusional political agendas under slogans/ titles i.e., ''Safe Streets'', ''Healthy Streets', ''Vision Zero'' by building bulging curbs flanking roadways, choke lanes, etc, etc. * (Have see bulged out cubs, curb offsets, and the like to easily notice, chipped curbs, dark/ black scuff marks on curbing; the black scuff marks are from car tyre sidewalls. Tyre side walls are easily stressed / pinched by scuffing curbs reducing performance and durability of tyre, increasing peril of tyre failure, raising risk of driver losing control of car.) * Thus minimising visibility by confusion, signs, eliminating space to avoid drivers and pedestrians making mistakes all to defeat 'Safety'.
Yes. I agree. There are some crappy drivers out there. But I was minding my business in the right lane when the truck just glided over into me. He said I was in his blind spot. The driver didn't even stop for 10 minutes. Cars had to flag him down. My point is that drivers of big rigs have their problems, too. I once had a big rig driver chase me down the highway for fun! It wasn't fun for me. I was in the right lane going the speed limit, and I thought the guy must have wanted me to speed up or move so he could get off the next exit. No, he got right behind me again, so I got back in the right lane. This was on a weekend so traffic was very light where I lived. He got right on my bumper and stayed there. He seemed delighted that he was scaring me, especially since I was in a small car. Truck drivers also deal with being too tired, not very good training before they're put out on the road, and meth abuse. My older brother used to drive a truck cross country, so he told me a lot of dirty little secrets. Not saying every trucker is like that . But it is widespread.
@@uberrox452 There is too much wrong with your comment to bother breaking down and explaining. Good luck with your existence
Jesus Christ, that story about Riley, about "the day the Earth tilted," ripped my heart out. We lost a daughter in an auto accident and I remember the state police car pulling into our driveway and I knew - I KNEW! - that our daughter had died. And, for the most part, so did we.
Truly heartbreaking just to hear how he suffered in the end.
As a dispatcher at a trucking co for almost 10 years now this doc was extremely eye-opening and alarming to me. This is an issue I've never thought twice about up until now. Thank you for bringing attention to this matter. This makes me want to explore the issue further in hopes that I can help insure the safety of my drivers and the public as a whole.
I truly appreciate it 🙏 most dispatcher's are jerks
@@coreybabcock2023 I know how stressful being on the road all day (plus all of the other details of the job) can be for my guys. I always tell them, I'm there to help them along the way throughout the day and to never ever hesitate to call me. Sure, I tell them where to go-but any bumps occur along the way, I'm ALWAYS there to assist. And many drivers have become like family to me over the years.
@emokoala Can I sniff your feet?
This documentary basically says that the problem is truck drivers and 4 wheelers are at no fault, the accident that started this whole documentary was the fault of the kid driving the car.
@@edmunger5595 i mean it is their fault for not pushing for increased safety just following orders and being complicit isnt an excuse. so many paid shills these days on the internet trying to twist the narrative. yes the majority of people speaking out against shit hardcore is usually a paid shill hired by one of the many many many front companies that get to claim they aint attached to the parent company but lobby or sway public opinion the same way commercials on tv used to do it.
When ever I come across a semi on the highway, I either stay way, way back and if I anticipate a blind spot coming my way, I either drop back behind the truck or smartly accelerate to get out ahead so the trucker can see me. I treat semi trucks like instant death if I don't give them a wide berth. And yes, truckers' skills on the highway have worsened over the past 45 years.
The truck drivers are driven to death by the corrupt truck companies and thus others die as well. Lots of blame but start with the companies
Truth.
@@ey67Well, they should find another job then and NOT drive trucks. Like hey, I get treated like crap and get ran the hell out of but let me keep working for this person or company, makes a lot of sense right?!
@@DG-ie5ipIdiot drivers are just idiot drivers no matter who they're.
I do the same thing. I also remind my family to keep clear every time we are riding together.
Former State Trooper. Out of all the fatal, and or serious injury crashes. A very small amount of them were caused by the commercial vehicle. It’s a fact that drivers are more distracted and impaired. Pointing the finger at the trucking industry is unfair, in reality we should look inwards to improving enforcement and education to everyday drivers.
As a trucker I thank you for saying this
Of course you would suggest enforcement before education which I find is telling. America needs to take driving seriously or just leave it up to computers and software.
We're talking about a one time investment of a few hundred dollars per trailer. How many trips would it take for that trailer to make it back? How much is a life worth?
Exactly my Grandfather drove truck for awhile and he told me the exact thing
5k per side, 1k for the back, 300 to 1000 trailers. Yeah, that's totally affordable.
Ive been driving trucks for 16+yrs and im telling you this is appalling and sickening. No excuses for this not being taken care of
As a diesel mechanic I've been around trucks and trailers all my life. The fact of the matter is people drive too fast they have no fear or consideration of the size and weight of the truck in front or around them and they just don't give a damn. Furthermore when youths died from trucks crashes it's no hidden secret that youth today think they're invisible and it can't happen to them. Don't blame the trucks and the truck drivers for the actions of people in four wheels
Excellent presentation. As a retired Sheriff's Deputy & Sergeant of 28+ years I saw a number of traffic deaths resulting from rear crashes into semi trailers & one from a side 'under-ride'. They were all of the most gruesome crashes I have ever witnessed. I was glad to hear of the relatively recent legislation for mandated improved rear trailer collision guards. These are most commonly put to use when motorists are following but not completely aware of a semi-trailer slowdown for any variety of reason, the motorist then slamming into the trailer. I find it interesting that so many enclosed semi trailers have the large panel beneath their trailers for the purposes of controlling air turbulence to increase fuel economy. Seems to me the same structure could accommodate a side guard.
Driver training is KEY. I spent 12yrs with a CDL and 6yrs as a Smith System trainer. Spend the extra money to get your kids properly trained (it could save their life). As a pro, I spend as little time next to semis as possible. I either stay back, or RACE past them (the right pedal is your friend if used properly). I see people all the time just lingering next to big trucks. You do that at your own peril 💯
that alwasy pisses me off when people pace me like that when im loaded. and it is unfortunately always women or old asian men who like to camp out next to me. and this is an observation ive made.
No, its not the "key". It's a good starting point. 81% of truck/car crashes are determined to be the cars fault. But, having driven for 18 years, I can say that we have too many inexperienced and reckless drivers in our industry. Don't beleive me, turn on your CB and listen to all of the truck drivers cursing other truck drivers. It's a puzzle, and it's going to take MANY PIECES to solve it. One of those pieces does need to be safer equipment. We didn't say, "we need to teach drivers to stop rear ending other drivers to solve the gas tanks catching fire in the Ford Pinto. We said, Ford must make it safer by moving it.
@@jamesrice4072 Driver training is absolutely key. You can wait for the world to change if you'd like; I'm the type of parent who made sure my kids knew how dangerous the world is and equipped them to navigate accordingly 💯
So very true! My brother , who dove big trucks, said they had to basically train themselves. They get a few hours training on something, they do it once or twice, and you're passed to the next thing. Plus, many, many turn into meth users.
@@Themrine2013 You won't see me. I'm gone!! They call me the breeze!! 😂
I retired from an airline and recently decided to go back to work driving a truck. There’s absolutely no reason to run this business the way we do. There are companies that are allowed to operate that every single person in the business knows are unsafe. I could literally write a book and I’ve been driving for less than a year.
Absolutely ⚠️ it's a DEADLY industry full of Incompetent DEADLY Drivers
NHTSA has found that 90% of car vs truck accidents ... are caused by the car.
@@TenGreenRangers 10% is still a lot for professional drivers.
You haven't been driving long enough to speak on that. Once you hit two million miles then you can speak on it. In two million miles I've watched the amount of traffic on the roads triple. I've watched the amount of reckless drivers on the road quadruple! The trucks are not the problem it's the shitty reckless car drivers that are the problem!
My son was offered a semi driver job in a company he worked for, I’m thankful he didn’t take it.
I’ve been driving my truck for 6 months now and in those months, I’ve had countless cars cut infront of me to the point I have to slam on my breaks, even if I give myself more than enough stopping distance. It’s very bad in Atlanta,GA.
this is about the rear and side. not the front. its obvious why you are a "truck driver."
26 year truck driver w/the last 8 as a trucking company owner. There's 1 big issue with these and that is they would cause trucks to get caught on railroad tracks and crests of hills at intersections and such. A lot of docks are sloped and you can see where the skirts get damaged where the slope begins and they drag so these would prevent a trailer from getting into those docks. These are a good idea but the issue is how they'll react to any ground that isn't pretty much flat. Many folks don't realize just where trucks actually go and unfortunately it's not flat ground from point A to point B.
This dock didn't really make the issue as gray as it should've been imo The causes of these accidents was hardly addressed which is distractions most likely and many things are in place to challenge people to be less distracted
I'm a police Officer with 23 years of experience. One of the big problems with the reporting of under or over ride is that many Officers don't list it on the accident report. They would just list it as a side collision or rear collision and not mention the over or under ride.
Unfortunately, we've become accustomed to sloppy police work.
Whoever came up with this video clearly does not understand our trucking industry. The lack of research shows greatly. Many accidents involving trucks would never happen if other drivers wouldn’t do boneheaded maneuvers. To the creator of this video please go for a ride with a truck driver. Learn what we do on a daily basis and see how driving is from our perspective. Teach the car drivers to respect larger vehicles. Last of all pull your head out of the crap you got into and do something positive for today’s drivers.
@@jimhabsfanyou haven’t seen sloppy police, you spoiled American. 😂
that is simply due to lack of training, Officer. There's no possible way you'd ever guess what to be specific on if the industry and regulation officials don't care to explain.
@39:10
As a former 48 state truck driver, these side guards would really help. This has always been a problem. In ice and snow conditions cars are more likely to slide under your trailer, or the trailer more likely to slide over cars. Many trucks have wind guards under the trailers to improve mileage and these occupy the same space as the side guards, so we can already show the space is available.
Well put! Truckers and 4 wheelers (regular car and pickup drivers) need to be in control of their vehicles and SLOW down in bad weather.
Side skirts on trucks do save fuel but they also get ripped off and damaged easily. Have you not taken a look at the side skirts on a trailer? They're designed to bend and flex. And they still get ripped off. What do you think will happen with side guards? Would you like to be late for work when trucks get high centered and stuck at every intersection??? Would you like ice balls flying through your windshield in the snow? Side guards will collect ice chunks that weigh the truck down even more.
Terrible idea. Those guards would need to be rigid you would have trailers hung up on railroad crossings and curbs. Those side skirts flex and almost everyone you see is damaged.
@@mike-sk2li A 53 foot trailer is the same length as a Greyhound bus and they don't get hung up in R/R crossings.
look at European semi-trucks. Almost all trailers have some sort of side guard. Most formula 1 teams have the full sidewall on their traveling trucks
Just had a 22 year old, Evan Dennison, who graduated two months ago, killed after hitting the back of a tractor trailer. Thoughts and prayers for Evan and his family and friends. He was a drum major in the UVA marching band.
This happening everyday everywhere. When a semi is stopped, it’s a huge hazard. A stationary steel building now randomly placed in or next to a high speed corridor. There needs to be better warning devices on the back of these trailers such as bright flashing lighting. The crash has to be prevented to save people.
@@HerlongianOr you know the person driving the car could pay attention to the road? I’ve been driving for 30 years and hundreds of thousands of miles and managed to not cause an accident. You have one job while driving-pay attention.
@@landkruiser1095 Glad to hear that. But all it takes is one mistake by someone else (say an incident like 15:50) and it's out of your hands. It doesn't matter how safe YOU are. It matters how safe everyone else around you is.
U know as a truck driver i cant beleave how many cars a day pass me like standing still even in speed zones at 65 moh or higher it blows my mind
Every time you hear someone declined to comment in this documentary, just assume the absolute worst and you will generally be more correct than not.
I love PBS Frontline documentaries
They always do a good job on these
You would.
They’re the best I’ve seen on KZhead. Their classic delivery style makes me reminisce watching cable TV documentaries with my dad when I was like 7.
It's great propaganda, absolutely
Just a guess, vote Democrat your whole life ?
I love that almost every rear related accident involving cars, resulted from inattentive drivers, following too closely, and failure to anticipate changes in traffic flow, all of these are on the drivers approaching the truck not the truck itself. If i have my hazards lights on and I'm slowing down rapidly I've done all I can to inform the personal vehicles behind me of sudden hazardous change, if they fail to observe that, I cannot be held liable for what happens afterward.
I agree. When does the responsibility fall on the car drivers? Yes,everyone is still texting or doing something with their phone,or just being inattentive or distracted some other way. It just makes sense to give trucks the right if way when and where appropriate. I don't think it's wise to play chicken with an 80,000 pound vehicle. I know one thing I do not do is ride in the trucks being spot,or near the rear tires. I've seen those tires blowout in hot weather,and it's a hell of an explosion. A guy can get hurt if that tire explodes right next to my face, when you consider the size of my car.
@@charlesbosse9669 I feel the responsibility falls when a driver caused the accident simply, semis have limited means of movement and response time, lawyers love to target them because they can easily make a strawman based on fear, which if a jury and also judge also has zero experience around trucks and be psychologically primed to believe the truck was at fault at all times. I'd just prefer blame would go where it would with normal personal vehicle accidents, instead of usually assuming the truck was at fault from the drop.
@@user-fu6ro2wi6m I feel like the legal system make trucking a curse of knowledge, cops, juries, and the public just assumes your the most experienced person at driving, so they'll give a teenager driving recklessly a slap on the wrist, while the truck driver has a high chance of losing his license for something he had no control over, i.e being cut off by a car and having no distance to safely stop, inattentive drivers striking their truck due to distracted driving, and so on. A good example for me is the Greyhound bus incident, the bus driver approached a low speed corner at excessive speed and lost control of his equipment, and hit parked trucks, in no real world of observation would you blame a parked vehicle for that fatalities caused by another driver losing control of their car or vehicle and hitting them. But of course they said the trucks were parked illegally, but in reality the trucks had no choice because rest areas, especially in truck hostile states like TN, are the only places those trucks won't get harassed or ticketed by cops for simply trying to find somewhere to sleep. So you force drivers to pack in like sardines into a very small property only meant for a dozen trucks, who are exhausted, and then some dumbass with a Chauffeur's license comes careening off the interstate driving way too fast for conditions and got people killed, but of course the sleeping driver is the true murderer.
@Bentfrombeyond Truck driver are much more professional today,than they wet we many years ago when I first started driving. I know there are some bad ones,but with layers and people suing them constantly, they have to ne professional all of the time, with front facing cameras out of the windows of the trucks and everything else. There are more bad regular motorists than there are bad truck drivers for sure.
@@charlesbosse9669 I am a case in point, I'm going to fight a ticket this month for driving in a restricted left coming down through the interchange for the NY thruway and Tapan Zee, I was cut off by a car and forced into a restricted lane to avoid an accident with said car, which then blocked me from returning to the travel lane, cop saw me some time later still trying to still get back over into my legal lane, but didn't care or ask, just served me the citation, every time I show up in court the charge is dropped because most tiny municipal courts don't expect me to show up or appear, I always do.
I am a truck driver & I always see accidents bt all the time is the 4 wheelers cutting us off & braking checking us, trying to pass us on the side when the lane is ending, we leave space in front for a reason, where at 80,000 lbs we won’t stop as a normal car
All the guards in the world won’t stop drivers from running into or under trucks. I spent over twenty years on the road driving 18 wheelers , is never ceases to amaze me how little respect people give to a machine that is big enough and heavy enough to crush you and your car like a bug on your windshield. As a former truck driver anytime I’m on the road I stay as fare away from trucks as I can, and I never get in their blind spots. If you can look at the drivers mirror and see him , he can see you . If you can’t see him you are in danger.
use trains safer to all.
@@peter-pg5yc I agree we should be doing more major city to major city transport by rail and using trucks for more short haul. But everyone puts speed and schedules ahead of the environment and safety.
@@peter-pg5yc enjoy starving. That’s the reason everything is moved by truck now. Millions of tons of food would routinely rot on the side rails when trains moved everything.
I don't disagree with your statement that most drivers don't respect the damage a truck can do but are you suggesting because these side guards won't stop 100% of fatalities that it isn't a good idea? Keep in mind that safety features like bumpers and seat belts are there in case someone makes a mistake they are not there to prevent someone from making a mistake. These side guards are No different. It is about preventing death vs saying oh well people will continue making these mistakes so it is what it is.
Yea while its sad that people have died because of it, nobody asks why so many 4-wheelers are running up underneath them....don't get me wrong they need to be stronger and all the people here in this video that passed is super sad and wrong. I don't mean disrespect to any of the people in the video but like 80 percent of accidents involving trucks and cars is the cars fault
I always knew our trailers had underride risks but it really hit me when I went to Europe a few years ago. NONE of their trailers have any sort of gaps that could fit a car and the guards are very robust. That's how it should be here.
It's odd that you mention the European trucks, as I've been to Europe and also look at a lot of videos where at least occasionally European trucks appear. Some have side panels, but from what I've seen it is a minority. In addition the side panels I've seen look more cosmetic and aerodynamic than structural. If Europe imposes side guards, wouldn't you think that the advocates for them here would have mentioned it? I'd think it would be too obvious not to.
False. I've also been all over Europe. Trucks have the same gap. It's even more dangerous there as the roads are far more narrow and traffic is worse. Especially in Paris.
Europe does a lot of things way better than us because they have regulation instead of deregulation
@@gregparrott in the EU a semitrailer without side or back guard rails won't pass the yearly roadworthiness inspection.
Huh? I’m lookin out the window and I saw 5 drive by in the last 5 minutes that look exactly like the American lorries.
Prayers for all the familys that lost someone 🙏🙏🙏
This is insane , I got my heavy truck license in 1986 in UK and under run bars were mandatory in UK and Europe from long BEFORE I got my license
I'm European truck driver with 17 years experience behind the steering wheel. I think that trailers should be much better secured against such accidents. I was involved myself in a accident just like that. A car driven by a 19 years old drunk driver with 3 more passengers crashed in to the end of the trailer of my truck. The car was not behind me traveling in my direction. It came laterally. The direction of movement of the car was perpendicular to mine. The car crashed in and entered absolutely all right between the last axle and the safety iron bumper of the trailer. Because of that the driver and the front passenger were beheaded. Both passengers seating at the back seats survived. This happened 5 years ago and I still have nightmares because of the accident.
Doesn't the EU mandate side bumpers?
@@bishop51807 Yes EU does that. But in the accident I was involved in, the car crushed in the end of the trailer from the left side. And because on the EU trailers the 2 spare tires are installed there, there is no side bumper in this place. 1.5 metres
They might be able to make trailers safer, but people really need to stop driving drunk. You could be pulling no trailer like I was one day in 2001 when a drunk hit me.
@@MiroRusev.000. Miro, that just goes to show that no matter how one tries to make something fool proof some fool will hurt or kill themselves anyway. I've driven all over the USA and the vast majority of truck drivers are very courteous and safe. Virtually all of the dangerous and discourteous things I see on the road are by those driving cars. One big problem is that, incredibly to my way of thinking, many people driving cars don't understand that something which weighs 80,000 pounds doesn't slow down as quickly as a car weighing 2,000 pounds does.
@@duffsmith8692 Yes of course. That too. And every single driver operating no matter what kind of vehicle need to know that he is not the only one on that road. There's others. Front from back to side from everywhere. And they can also be just as stupid and presumptuous as he is.
There are Mandates for so many stupid things in this country but when an actual mandate would make a huge difference, they just can’t manage to do it in Washington
I’m a seasoned semi truck driver. I believe that a side guard and possibly an alert system should be installed on the trailers. I’ve see a lot of under-ride accidents. The trucks have blind side monitors but it only picks up a vehicle beside the cab, not the trailer area. A mirror is only so good especially on what we call the blind side. The trailers are weight restricted, adding more safety devices adds weight, meaning less cargo to be carried in the trailer. And trust me they want to maximize how much they can fit in the trailer. I believe they are so hesitant due to not only the new safety devices cost, but also the weight added that can possibly take away from their bottom line.
Also a driver. I second this
I'm a retired driver of 42 years and to think that anything can stop accidents is just untrue, stupid people do stupid things and sometimes people get hurt or killed, trucks have blindspots because drivers don't know how to adjust their mirrors to get rid of them.
The safety devices they have added thus far aren’t really the best thing in life. A side guard would work wonders, as would more thorough training requirements. Cameras covering blind spots would help out better than an alerter. The one in my current truck goes off for the most random things that are seemingly not there, but a camera mirror would show without a doubt nothing is there, while not adding a significant amount of weight.
@@philb2820 lots of trucks I see out there with mirrors that are cameras displayed in cab super cool I think as long as conditions allow for good visibility. I personally think America fails it’s new drivers on purpose if The trucking industry has lobbyists you’d better bet your ass the insurance companies,the FUNERAL HOMES, HOSPITALS ETC HAVE them too and if nobody is dying and nobody is needing medical attention they whine ,they pay off our congress members and other government officials. Lobbying and paying $ to have laws made or discarded of should in itself be illegal but the USA and many other large governments are too used to building their net worths and absolutely wouldn’t take on their responsibilities if all they got out of it was the warm fu’zzy feeling of helping people.
@@deaf2819 you ain’t lying.
The fact that we get free documentaries from FRONTLINE on KZhead is priceless .... keeping the education and knowledge alive 🙏🙏🙏
Hell yeah!
Bahaha, educating ?... it's full of left leaning propaganda and you may not even know. Look up at the "foundations" who bring you such programs? Who do you think they vote for? Noagenda podcast, your welcome ITM
Well selling shit is hard it’s easier to just give it away for free
It's on PBS FREE every week.
Having your close relative in an accident is the worst feeling ever. Last year my sister was involved in an accident. It was the darkest day of my life
As a CDL holder, a former truck owner operator, a machinist mate on a U.S. Ballistic Missile submarine and a retired funeral director/embalmer my heart breaks for the families that have lost anyone under these circumstances, this is preventable. I am certain that anyone driving commercially would be in favor of anything that would prevent them from being involved with such an accident. This is one of many issues involving truck transport that needs to be addressed with common sense rule making and the political/monetary concerns should be a non issue. There is no calculus that balances a thousand dollars worth of materials, fabrication and installation with the loss of human life
I'm a trucker who has been pulling stepdecks and flabeds. I had a light accident in Indianapolis in winter when a car slid and hit my side boxers on my speddeck. Nothing happened besides some scratches. Had my trailer been a dryvan, a different story it would have been
Wow, Rileys story is tragic. So sad. I'm a truck driver, well over a hundred thousand miles each year, the vast majority of accidents between trucks and smaller vehicles are caused by the smaller vehicles. The truck accidents get tons of press, because they're big and there's usually fatalities. There are trucks driving too fast as well, there are distracted truckers for sure, but cars are a bigger problem in my opinion. Every day, without fail, I'm cut off by a smaller vehicle, brake checked, I have cars literally pass me on the shoulder at freeway speeds to gain a second. I've had road rage incidents happen in front of me, and they don't pay attention to me at all. People pass me then immediately pull back in front of my truck, people coming onto freeways have no idea how to merge. They're driving too fast, they are driving distracted, they are on phones or watching movies on their laptops, they cut off everybody, then typically they're gone, after they've caused traffic behind them to slow or stop. Everybody is in a hurry to gain 5 minutes. Fixing trailers needs to happen immediately, but put some blame, and responsibility, and more enforcement, on the smaller vehicles!
@markw.2106 Statistics will back up your comment. Too many people can not take responsibility for their actions/ mistakes .. Not to mention that Respect is a thing of the past.
Truck drivers love 🥰💓🫀🩸 tailgating. Can't have an accident without getting too close to something.
I don't get why people act the way they do. I always go out of my way to help out truckers. I'm just travelling, but truckers are doing their job. Don't ever make it harder for someone who's just trying to do their job.
While “I” (as a nonexpert) think there should be safety improvements what you say is true. I see it every day!
Truthfully, far too many people suck at driving and they suck at caring about the impact of their actions.
The number one problem is that at the end of the day, there is a CEO who wants all the money possible, regardless of the loss of lives; only if their friends/family and/or loved ones are killed in similar circumstances will they change their perspectives.
Companies will never change or be held accountable unless they are legally forced to. Capitalism is the key culprit
Yeah, it's ONLY 17 million lives. What's that compared to profits?
Nailed it.
The CEO is merely a tool used to perform a goal for the company, chiefly increasing profits for shareholders. That's his function, just as the drivers, trucks, merchandise, roadways and regulatory enforcement are all tools. I'm not saying CEOs are blameless but "Them dern greedy CEOs sure are awful, am I right?" doesn't help anything.
Not to say that greed isn't a big problem, but to me the number one problem is America's obsession with roads. Loading interstate freeways with goods vehicles is madness for many reasons. Of course you will always need some, but putting the goods on trains and taking the trucks off the roads will make it safer and greener.
Fascinating. This is why I try to steer clear. Where I live in New Jersey we have highways that tractor trailers are forbidden to use. I actually wasn't aware until this documentary that those barriers are called Jersey barriers and were developed and used here first. We also have double highways, trucking / bussing lanes which cars may ride in and separate lanes for passenger vehicles and jughandles or U-turns for left turns. I recall when I was younger my friend losing her parents when they were stopped at an intersection waiting to make a left hand turn, they had their wheels turned and were hit them from behind sending them into oncoming traffic, where they were overtaken by a truck. They were decapitated.
Number one rule when making a left turn from a traveled road is to NEVER turn your wheels to the left until you start moving and have control of your vehicle. Had the driver not turned the wheels, they most likely would be alive today!
Did this happen in NJ? If so, what road/town?
When on the freeways, avoid trucks as much as possible and keep a safe distance (much more than most of you do right now) between you and those around you, especially those in front of you. And if at all possible, avoid the freeways because that is where the trucks are. As an example, going from Dallas to El Paso, instead of driving on I-20 westbound, drive US 180; it is only slower by about 30 minutes (the route is actually a bit shorter than the freeway) but it is much more relaxing, having few if any big trucks on it and as an added bonus, there is more to see along the way.
best advice I have seen. Wherever possible my husband and I avoid highways. I cannot tell you how many aggressive drivers have tail gated me for doing 15 OVER the speed limit in the right lane. God save us all.
As a truck driver, I want our trucks and trailers to be as safe as possible, for everyone out there on the roads!! Justifying that this is too expensive, disappears when your child or family member dies from one of these crashes
One death is way too expensive!
If ya want change, you have to have forced regulations and laws. But the corporations, who bought and paid off the government officials see only profit and money. Your lives are meaningless to them, you are nonthing to the corporations of greed
@@scottsherman6889 That is false. They gave the number in the video - anything that costs more than 12 million per life saved will not likely get passed into law. Saying that: "One death is way too expensive!" is just emotional nonsense, in the real world, there is always a cost benefit analysis - and most people are just not that important. Not nice to say but that is the reality.
Trucks are safe. People in cars are dangerous.
@@sirvilhelmofyonderland there’s always room for improvement and if you don’t think that the ICC bar couldn’t be improved or yhat side guards couldn’t help save people you have your head in the sand.
If the cost is the biggest issue, the insurance industry should have required the underride protection because they ultimately foot the bill.
They probably don't care because it's built into the price of the insurance premium you pay.
Most accidents where a car hits the rear of a trailer won’t be the trailers fault, so no incentive for ins co to mandate
Insurance companies should require cars to stop speeding too. Maybe govern cars to 65mph
@@headliner733plus at high highway speeds there is much less room for error. We got onto a 75mph highway in Idaho and it was insane.
The statistics are underreported.
The other problem with side guards is that some customers have different incline levels and the side guards would not let them back up to certain docks. Also tandem axles have to move forward or backwards depending on the load to get the weight right for DOT. As you can see it’s not as simple as putting sidegaurds up on trailers. Some customers would have to rebuild docks all over the US.
and how would they install side guards on a tanker trailer, a dump trailer, or a flowboy trailer? all those trailers are not the same dimensions of a regular van trailer and would require more engineering and materials to produce the guards correctly.
All truck trailers in Ireland have side protection guards and I've never heard of any problems
trailer side guards are standard in Europe and other parts of the world. It's an issue of regulatory priorities.
@@stephendezouzsa I don't believe the commenter was denying that it's a matter of priorities, instead they were simply pointing out there needs to be a united effort. There are a hell of a lot more docks and crazy loading zones and other related things in the U.S. than in Ireland . I too agree it is a matter of priorities and we all know safety always takes second place to greed.
Plus crashing into a steel wall (side panel) is as fatal as crashing into the Mansfield bar (steel wall).
As a semi truck driver, I pray and ask God for protection and safety before every trip.I want car drivers to know that it’s not easy to stop a truck especially if it’s loaded and heavy, maneuver a truck is not smooth like a car, we do have a lot of blind spots, we take wide and slow turns. I want everyone to go back home safe.
My Grandfather who survived the brutal fighting in the South Pacific against Japan in World War II 1942-1945, was killed on his motorcycle in 1985 when the Semi Truck driver suddenly changed lanes, over an overpass to get on I-64. The Truck was in the right lane, my grandfather was in the left, he had no where to go, he tried to lay the bike down, and the under ride side crash happened when the Motorcycle rolled under the semi truck…. It ran over him crushing him and the motorcycle, rolling over him breaking every bone in his body.
Tray, the post traumatic suffering you & Your loved ones must still suffer I am so so sorry for your horrific loss. Those (any), who put $ ahead of lives, GOD WILL JUDGE. Father, please give Tray & his loved ones comfort from no other source than YOU. PLEASE TAKE THE STING Bring emotional healing & eternal spiritual life from his grandfathers death Thank You, LORD. In Jesus Name -Amen
Sorry for your loss. When I took a MSF course to get my motorcycle endorsement years ago. They taught me how to drive around trucks and properly react to the unexpected. While that may or may not have saved your grandpa's life. I highly recommend MSF and/or all the training you can get for any type of high risk endeavors....be it vroom vroom or bang bang... Or extreme ironing/rock climbing...etc.
Oh my God I'm so sorry, how horrible. I always look for motorcycles and when i see any.
As a motorcycle rider/infantry man - CHRIST MAN, save us the details. I already have a problem with the trucking industry. They seem to get to use our roads that we pay for in tax, to make their profit and do not have to contribute anything. Also, these are the people that made Rush Limbaugh famous. They are responsible for keeping many tens of tons from crashing into other vehicles and they are generally not the brightest of us.
@@jinimurray4090 Why do you structure your sentences in such a manner, it doesn't make sense. You clearly did it intentionally. Nobody cares what you think your god will do. We have laws and a justice system because most people are aware that your way of thinking is not a deterrent, a promise that your god will punish a wrong-doer is a joke. The laws made by man are much more powerful because they actually contribute to change. Any one person is stronger than your god and the laws you invent yourself. Go thump your buy-bull somewhere else, adults are talking.
My mother was involved in a accident with a tri axle dump truck. She lost her life. One never knows. Great presentation. Thank you P.B.S.
I'm sorry ❤ hope your doing okay😊
Sorry for your loss, but this garbage "reporting" is why we don't communicate. It's total propaganda, I drove for 20 years in a Semi. Everything they said is 100% skewed reporting. Sorry, it just isn't real.
@@jjoosneaphh What is not real? Maybe what's not real is you being a truck driver. Every comment from a real commercial driver says it's accurate, but you say 100% fake. Bet you just hate PBS because someone told you to.
I'm very sorry
Ever notice how erratic dump trucks drive on the highways...not all but the majority Like I said, pay truckers by the hr, not by the load or mile!
I believe a good thing to look at in this situation would be how many of these fatal crashes are caused by the truck and how many of these fatal crashes are caused by the car. For some reason you never hear this. As a truck driver I believe that if cars were more respectful of these large trucks that there would not be any need for side guards.
As a truck driver 15 minutes in, I'm getting strong Gell-Mann Amnesia effect vibes from this, as well as picking up a subtle "truck drivers are dangerous" subtext. For example, in the example the lawyer used to explain under-run crashes, why was the trucker the one who "ran a stop sign"? The years of computer-vision assisted video recordings have indicated that truckers are far more likely to obey a traffic control device than the motoring public. This could have been framed as a tragic accident, where the truck was already in the intersection as a police car comes around a blind curve. Heck, it could be a collision with a parked and unhooked trailer with no truck involved. Any of those things could paint the picture "trailers need better safety features" without painting the driver as some bloodthirsty maniac...
I have been driving a truck since 1995 after i left the Army. While all of this is good, it may or may not solve the issue. Andy Young could also stand in front of pictures and say; "speeding, texting, putting on make-up, not paying attention, driving impaired/intoxicated, veered from their lane, brake checked truck, cut-off truck to exit, ran red light, ran stop sign, suspended license, no license." The number of reasons are counless. People don't walk up to a pit-bull and punch it in the mouth, but they will act like their s**t doesn't stink around a semi truck, and that is a far bigger problem. Society has a problem with entitlement, and it shows on the road. I experience it maybe 100 times a day. Everybody has the opinion that they are a "good person" until they get behind the wheel. They then proceed to act like an absolute meat-popcicle with disregard for speed-limits, traffic laws, or common courtesy. Police do not inforce much of anything anymore, because they don't want to lose their job over some Karen turning a violation into a world-wide KZhead sensation. People; activists, lawyers, and politicians, always come up with some idea that "only costs $$$ per commercial vehicle" and do not realize the compounding cost of these measures. I am not saying safety is not important. I am saying you could make a truck as safe as a cotton ball, and people will still find a way to kill themselves around it. As for the quality of the driver behind the wheel of the semi, that's a sad story itself. Rules and regulations, plus the astronomical cost of operating a truck has run off 80% of the good ones. Think i am exaggerating? Go and try to buy a new truck and trailer. Permit it; insure it, license it, fuel it, maintain it, pay every tax and toll fee known to man on it. Plus, all of the hidden gems that suck profit and see if trucking is something you would like to stick with. All of the same costs are applicable to trucking companies as well, so they hire anyone they can get their hands on to fill a seat and stay in business. Therefore, you have so many "drivers" that have no business being behind the wheel of a semi. They aren't good drivers and never will be. People claim this is an easy job and that anyone can do it with training. That's total bull****. You have to be scientifically minded and an excellent planner. You need knowledge of angles/geometry; inertia, friction, traction, weight distribution, etc. Plus, and most importantly, you need self-control. I have said a lot here. People may or may not agree with everything. The essence of what i am trying to convey is that we can continue to place all of the blame and onus on the truck because of its size. But until the rest of society grows up and acts with some fraction of integrity and professionalism they expect from the truck driver, the problem will only get worse.
Absolutely 💯...
Totally agree. I think DOT needs to educate 4-wheelers on how to operate around Big Rigs. In Texas we gotta take a Special Requirements test that's extra for getting a CDL, but the 4-wheeler doesn't. I kind of wish Quintin Tarantino would make a Death Proof volume Two: Trucker Edition movie, it'd do what JAWS did for swimmers at the Beach, Fear of the big trucks, and hopefully a little respect.
Amen!!!
This video is a bunch of bull, I couldn’t watch all of it.
It's crazy you list all the truth about the unknowns of being a truck operator and no one every thinks of that stuff. Or the list you have to do when running a business with these commercial business trucks. The list is to much to write it all down. I do feel for the families of these lost loved ones and why they want to make the trucking regulations they are asking for. But in reality it's expensive to maintain these safety devices. In this documentary, they didn't talk nor show how expensive it be to replace the safety devices when they where damage in course of an after accident. Like the part where they showed that controlled crash test from the side impact on the trailer. Ya it would probably saved lives but the aftermath of the trailer is what I'm talking about. First the trailer was empty. Let's do a test with the actual weight that would be in real life in that trailer. Then, after the test Let's get a insurance claim adjuster to look at the overall condition of the trailer. Can it still be used on the road safely after the accident. Can it still safely carry the load that is in the trailer during the accident, or does it need to off loaded and put on another trailer to make it's scheduled delivery. See more things people don't think bout when speaking about this matter. Most likely that insurance claim adjuster would deem that trailer inoperable and unsafe for use afterwards. Saying this, that would amount to lots of trailers being lost not to even explain the amount of money during the accident and after the accident these companies will be losing. It's crazy to think all the distracted drivers who causes these accidents want to put blame on the truckers and Commercial companies instead of they wrong doings on the roads. I think it's cuz they know these commercials companies have money and they can win big prizes from them if they can convince other's that they weren't at fault for the accident. Just my opinion and thoughts.
I remember a documentary on this exact issue 35 years ago. Back then it was associated with an effort to require underride guard on the back of all trailers.
Rear ICC Bumpers have been US Law.. required.. since 1977.
Yep. Now it appears they are wanting guard rails all around the trailers.
@@inthedarkwoods2022 I almost think it would be more fun to require cars to have bumpers that match truck height..
Frontline makes the best documentary reports. I come from a family of long haul truckers, aunts and uncles. Another dangerous practice Frontline should look into is companies pushing their drivers & dispatchers running their drivers into exhaustion which is dangerous and causes fatal crashes too. Drivers are always under pressure to get their loads to their destination on time no matter at what costs. A lot of carriers switched to electric log books, but the drivers who still use handwritten log books they cheat and doctor their log so it appears they don't go over their 10 hour driving window which is federal law. 10 hours on after being 11 hours off with a break in between. 10 hours also counts even if you get delayed at a shipper. That puts you under even more pressure to get to your destination within that 10 hour window. You'll be amazed at how many drivers fall asleep behind the wheel or fatigue causes accidents.
When I drove it was on electronic logs... There was many a night where I wished I had an old-fashioned coloring book, er, I mean log book.
You don't know anything about hours of service. It's 14 hours total after coming on duty, 11 hours driving, 10 hours off. Accident rates have not decreased with electronic logs. Studies show that because of delays at shippers and receivers drivers average less than 7 hours driving per day and then they hit the 14 hour limit.
Look at how many ppl on the roads today don't respect the life of the truck driver. The truck has to make wide turns because the trailer does not make the same turn. You can't cut trucks off because you can spend 2 seconds just to freak wait.
I've been behind the wheel for over 30 years and I'm appalled at how reckless people drive today. Other than some kind of mechanical malfunction EVERY crash is avoidable. We think backwards in this country. Instead of changing bad behaviors we want to fix it so our stupidity won't kill us as much. I guess we'll never learn.
Exactly! You see it in how cars and trucks are manufactured now. We wouldn't need to pack our vehicles full of 5 billion sensors and radars for safety features if we would just train better drivers and keep the shitty ones off the roads.
Exactly Stephen. Too fast rushed pressured
Skip the middleman and sue the manufacturer of the human body for making them so fragile.
I assume you are complaining how reckless drivers are you are including some truckers in that? I totally agree there are some dam fools out there driving but from what I have seen that goes for some so called professional drivers as well. I see it almost everyday truckers swerving back and forth only to see them on their phones when I hurry around them or them tailgating down a hill on the freeway or them blocking both lanes running side by side with another truck for 2 or 3 miles blocking traffic. So yes there are some drivers who need to be held accountable and some taken off the road in cars and the same goes for truck drivers. Don't let your allegiance to your industry cloud your judgement about who is to blame for the increased danger on the roads.
@@markp.7165 Hey I'm a truck driver too and I'll admit I see some real jackasses in the industry. I'd say about half the drivers that pass me are just dicking around on their phones, and a lot of them don't pay any attention whatsoever to where their trailers are.
I've been driving a truck for 15 years and am approaching 2 million non-preventable accident free miles. I add that caveat because I've been involved in 3 accidents (and countless near misses) caused by the cars around me doing dumb s**t. The most recent one had a lady enter the highway I was on and immediately start merging left 4 lanes over before running into the side of my trailer. While looking over her RIGHT shoulder having a conversation with her passengers. Had she been maybe half a second faster she and her pax would've been dead under my trailer. Lucky for her she hit my wheels and destroyed them along with her shi**y car and lived to lie about it to the cops (and get arrested for reckless driving and DUI). And that's just 1 of the 3 wrecks I've been involved in... all with similar levels of dumbassery involved. The bottom line is you can't protect people from their own poor decisions and despite opinions to the contrary the majority of us ARE safe professional drivers trying to get from A to B safely.
100% correct. The biggest problem, the biggest danger by far is dumbazz car drivers. This program is mainly just a calculated, preemptive public relations show to sway public opinion for soon-to-be-approved, additional government regulations. It's very coordinated and timed as a PR move for Petey B. He's just another ambitious careerist politician.
Maybe so, but there are examples of truck drivers also not driving correctly in this video and the result is that innocent people who did nothing wrong are now dead and their families are grieving. There are bad drivers everywhere and with a car you can maneuver to avoid their stupidity. It's a bit more difficult to do with a monster of a truck with few safety features.
@Michilar few safety features? With all due respect you don't know what you're talking about. Maybe do some research instead of making assumptions. Start with Crash Mitigation Systems currently installed as standard equipment on commercial vehicles. You'd be surprised. And while you're at it, look at traffic violation rates and accident rates per million miles for cars versus the same for trucks and busses. Again the results might surprise you but not anyone even remotely involved in the trucking industry.
@@Michilar By far the real problem is moronic drivers of cars, not the truck drivers. This whole piece is not based on FACTS, not based on statistics, but rather based on MANIPULATION and FEAR. This is what careerist bureaucrats do to pass more legislation, more control. Secretary Petey-boy would do well to actually get the F out of the DC confirmation bias chamber and actually spend a day in a big truck in a big city.
This has nothing to do with this documentary. They're not claiming cars are never at fault. They're not blaming truckers. Theyre simply saying these changes to the trucks could save lives but the trucking industry as a whole wont make those changes because $$$$. Why so defensive about that?
When I was in high school there was a road I drove on occasion. One day towards the end of the school year, I was driving with some friends and immediately I noticed all the gorgeous 150 year old oaks that lined the road on both sides had been cut down. Even as a 17 year old kid, I felt bad about that. Later that year I learned a daughter of a county police chief had failed to negotiate a curve and all the “dangerous” trees needed to be removed to keep people safe. Sad how society has to pay for the ignorance of a few. Very few children that started driving after 1980 are taught how to drive like they’re lives depend on their actions.
There I'd a stretch of Route 7 south between Vermont and Massachusetts that some people want to straighten because people have been injured or killed. These individuals were under the influence or fell asleep at the wheel or were going to fast foe the conditions so the rest of the area must suffer the consequences.
Any trailer manufacturer has a golden opportunity to just put the sideguards on for PR without being forced to do so. Let us not forget, however, that the 16 year old at the start of this video was forced into the situation by a truck coming out of his/her lane. Class A myself since 1996 and nobody seems to know how to stay in their own lane nowadays just saying.
This was always one of my biggest worries as a truck driver. Even with all of the mirrors and sensors new trucks have on them, there are still many blind spots and with the aggressiveness of some drivers out there, i was always worried about someone getting caught under my trailer. Some other BIG issues today is people (both truckers and cars) is impatience and most of all CELL PHONES. While OTR i would always see probably 9 out of 10 people driving with a phone in their hands. Glad i left the industry. Too stressful nowadays.
I’ve only watched a few minutes of this but, there is way too much distracted driving going on and people who don’t care about anyone else on the road but themselves!
Agreed. It pisses me off when I see these dumb people with the phones reading and texting while driving…
Everyone is hauling ass on their phones cutting truckers off, tailgaiting, swerving lanes, thinking they're fast and the furious, but it's the truckers fault
@@nathane2243 yeah that has really gotten out of hand.
One thing I hate more then people being on their phones on the road is those who are speeding and swerving on the road! Pisses me off when I see that. 😤
When I'm driving I stay far away from semi trucks. They can't see you. They're working hard to deliver cargo. The laws of physics will crush you in your dinky puny car if you're too close. So stay away. Like I do.
Sometimes you don't always have a choice especially if there's alot of traffic. I drive around semi's all the time due to the highway I have to take to commute to and from my residence. I can't tell you how many times I've seen semi's cut other drivers off even though that car wasn't in their blindspot and was in clear view. I've seen great truck drivers and horrible truck drivers. It all comes down to how little the truck driver cares.
I try. Wish trucks had their own roads or at least their own lanes they had to stay in.
@@hdon8190 slowing your own car down is a great way to get away from trucks because they're always hell bent for leather (as the song Rawhide goes).
Thank you for this information. I have made it my mission to check the big trucks here in South Africa. I saw a lot of the trucks with trailers here that have the back and side banners on. Not all of them, and I can see that is a big need. Thank you for your work and this video.
Your time will be better spent in educating your fellow car and motor bike drivers to give those trucks extra space so you don't need to worry about being in a collision with them.
I'm retired from driving just over 20 years, A Truck Driver is guiding the truck down the road, a truck can not really turn well. It can't speed up, and it can't stop quickly. And reaction time from a great number of over worked drivers. I was so happy when I only worked 12 hours.............................All be safe Mark
As a 34 year OTR driver (retired) I can personally mention that the industry has gone downhill at a record pace. Glad I’m out of it!
Care to give more details on the nature of this downward spiral?
Deregulation caused massive turnover and low pay. Carriers now have up to 150% annual turnover of their drivers. To keep the trucks rolling they implement a "meat in the seat" mentality. Some will literally hire anyone who can fog a mirror. The old professional drivers are almost gone from the industry as they're retiring. It will be interesting to see how they keep meat in the seat. Indentured servants perhaps?
@@nicksonkosi We have less time for delivery, a lot more regulations***, pay isn't keeping up with economy, expenses are getting out of control, people are a lot crazier, theft/kidnapping/murder/crime is way up, insurance con jobs, harassment/citations from dirty law enforcement, companies hiring to many ex-cons, immigrants, people who dont belong behind the wheel, to name a few.
High driver turnover, unpaid waiting times at shippers & receivers. Dispatch sitting behind a desk in another state, pushing a diver to hurry. Lots of young foreign drivers entering the truck driving vocation. They have a different value. Basically foreign drivers don’t give a shit. Just go, go. Stopping on the shoulder to take a piss, or 10 hour break.
@@nicksonkosi drivers are paid by the mile. There is mostly no pay for the long hours spent at docks. The ELDs keep you in check every single minute. Thus limiting your driving time cause you’re basically sitting around at docks. At the end of a 80-90 hour work week your pay is equivalent to 40 hours at a factory or a gas station. Hence the 150% driver turnover. Plus numerous other serious issues that face the driver. I’ve only scratched the surface.
As a paramedic for over 20 years and now a “dangerous truck driver” I hate that any accident happens but there are way more pressing things that need to be regulated and enforced over this. I wish the public could see the number of people the pass me everyday texting or watching something on their phone while driving over the speed limit. We are already regulated to the point that it’s hard to keep up. Why not require over bumpers for every car? Why not regulate every drivers hours of driving and work day. Make everybody pull over and take a mandatory 10 hr break and get a physical every two years to determine if they are safe to drive. Let’s make it equal. My heart goes out to anyone that has lost a loved one to soon, and also to the first responders that have to deal with the tragedies.
I’d like to see a piece from frontline on how passenger vehicles drive erotic and dangerous around big trucks Id like to see more training and how to safely driver around trucks hence driving in the trucks blind spots there is always money hungry lawers going after the trucks Even if that passenger car was at fault
I was debating with myself on commenting about this subject. I am a recently retired truck driver of over 25 years, in that 25+ years I was involved in an underride collision. Unfortunately the individual of the vehicle operating the other vehicle lost their life when their vehicle collided with the side of my trailer and ultimately went under my trailer. In my situation do I personally believe side guard would have saved their life, no I do not. The biggest issue I see with this whole issue regarding incidents like this is basically we as a society have failed ourselves. There is a lot of instances that lack of education has played a huge part in this. I am part of a generation that we went through a required course in high school called driver's education which was a one time a required course in public high school before a teenager could receive a drivers' license. Now it is completely taken out of all schools and is now in the private sector, private "paid" sector. Now I don't see any issue with this other than what about the families that can't afford the fee for this type of service? We as a society have become consumed by obtaining more money by any means necessary and in turn have allowed lack of education not for just young people starting to learn how to drive but also some older individuals not being properly trained and educated in the dangers of the roadways. One last final though, all of us could consider becoming less distracted while driving and actually pay attention to safely operating all of our vehicles on the road.
It's still a mandatory school-given class in the five different states I've lived in. My kids were all required to take driver's ed, and my youngest graduated high school last month 🤷🏻♀️
My cousin's 2 children were killed in 1994 and I believe it was an underride crash. My heart still breaks.
So many of the people posting comments (as always) are liars spreading anti-America, pro-Marxism/ Socialism comments.
My uncle was a truck driver for 20ish years before he switched to working the dock. Soon as I started driving he taught me never EVER ride beside a semi. The tires can blow out and the driver won’t have a clue about it. I always give a wide berth to them, I’ll give way and let them in while in traffic. 90% of the time there doing the speed limit and know the road so I don’t mind to sit there and cruise with a few of them, if they start slowing down I know there’s a reason
Thank you for your service
And then there’s the 10% that drive 30mph faster than anyone else there’s nothing scarier than seeing a semi driving 90mph getting bigger in your rear view mirror.
Blowouts occur on ALL vehicles... you can't blame truck drivers & the trucking industry for mechanical failures... blowouts occur for myriad reasons, not just neglect, which is clearly what your implying. The fact is, ALL vehicles should create & maintain safe following distances & speeds with ALL other vehicles, not just big rigs. The sheer size disparity alone should be enough to inform better & safer driving habits among drivers of 4-wheel vehicles especially. Truck drivers are held to unrealistically high standards while drivers of non commercial passenger vehicles are under no such scrutiny. Therein lies the imbalance & bias. They're allowed to travel at higher speeds in dangerously close proximity to slower moving & much larger vehicles. And yet, think it's their right to do so without consequence. Sorry, but a staggeringly wide majority of accidents with semis & traffic fatalities in general are cause by drivers of 4-wheel vehicles themselves.
@@mwood1012 I agree 100% that blowouts happen with all vehicles and I’m not blaming or implying that it’s truck drivers/companies faults.. The point that my uncle who originally drilled it into my head is that (from his experience and his colleagues) if the back right tire blows out on the trailer there’s a good chance that the driver won’t realize that it happened because they can’t see it. On the rare occasion that I pass a truck I double/triple/quadruple check to make sure the driver sees me in his mirror and I will only pass on the left. And I know the unrealistic expectations that truck drivers are held to and that most accidents involving a semi is the fault of the 4-wheel vehicle driver. I’ll always trust a driver of a big rig 10000% more than some random joe in a car
@@TheSjuris most trucks are physically impossible to willingly go that fast. Most of the time if a truck is going 30mph faster than traffic then they are 1) fully loaded (often overweight as companies are willing to pay the fine than to send another truck) 2) coming down a hill (think mountains and interstates or 3) having massive and I mean MASSIVE mechanical problems. Coming down a mountain fully loaded they have no choice of how fast they go because of gravity and physics
In 1982: My friend was killed when he tried to get a ball from under a parked / moving truck.
I can't tell you how many times I've seen regular drivers not give enough space or common courtesy to truckers. They're driving these huge dangerous vehicles. I always give them a wide birth out if respect.
a big issue that NOBODY talks about is the lack of rest areas / overnight parking for trucks. Especially around the big cities where most deliveries are, if you stop after sunset, there is no parking left for big trucks while the parking area for regular cars is almost empty. it feels like a big middle finger given to truckers. it dosen't even have to be pawed, a dirt lot will do. But while there is money for intricate and spacious parks that nobody uses, there is none for dirt lots so truckers can rest, which IS a safety issue
Had nothing to do when the people driving the cars are idiots
So true. I was just thinking about this yesterday. At this point there's "no parking" signs and red curbs in nearly every possible parking spot.
The NIMBYs (not in my back yard) make it hard for most towns and cities to tolerate overnight truck parking. I'm lucky to work a dedicated account where our customer lets us park overnight so it's not a problem I deal with anymore but I'm well aware of what awaits me if I ever go back to national OTR
@@Harry__Morgan Sadly The one Rest Area I needed in NC was closed for reasons unknown I guess to force truckers to go to the truck stops that had no place to park. Even the TA which I finally found didn't even have a sign showing it was there lucky I seen it last minutes 45 minutes from violation.
@@Harry__Morgan There actually should be a few such remote parking spots for big trucks as part of the design. It could be safe. The entrance ramps are safer than exits because vehicles are accelerating from slow speeds. On exit ramps sleepy drivers operating at high speed can zero-in on taillights or reflectors and crash into trucks.
I had one of these accidents myself as a teenager. The truck ran a stop sign coming off the interstate and I ran under him. Thankfully I was in a taller truck and the dash stopped me from going completely under. It was terrifying.
You couldn’t see an entire semi coming your way? I saw a car going 40mph in a split second and then it smashed into another car.
I have a feeling it was you who ran the stop sign.
@@onekerri1 I went under the side of the truck as it came off of the interstate. I didn’t have a stop sign to run, and no I couldn’t see it, in road design perfection here, there is a bridge right before the exit, you come under the bridge into the exit lane. This was a big problem at the time that caused many accidents in this spot.
@@2Years2Farm these truck drivers drive like maniacs. Driving through OUR city like they own it. Forcing us into other lanes, purposely riding ass and not letting people merge, then act like big babies when they need to merge. Always riding in the left two lanes even tho they kno they're not suppose to. Slowing down i-75/i-71 all because they want to race each other up the hills, so they take up all 4/5 lanes of the highway because they're impatient with one another. Slowing the highway down to 20 mph. Dam truckers!!!!
@@deanneparis8888 these truckers are trying to blame YOU for the wreck because you didn't see the semi and KNOW it was about to run a stop sign. Haha. They're just crappy truck drivers themselves. That's all. Haha.
What blows my mind is that (in most crashes) people seem to only place the blame on the trucks rear guards..... seemingly forgetting to place blame on the people driving.
When a company refuses to talk with a news reporter about a topic and refuses it means the company is guilty and is hiding the truth.
I've always been mindful of large trucks, especially the ones that look older. I usurally pass them fast or let them go and try never to drive next to one. I'm super scared of platform tow trucks because when you are behind of of them at a light, you can see that if you crashed into the rear of one of those, it will hit you right in the midle of the winshield.
This was very eye opening. I had honestly never thought about these kind of crashes
I agree. I have heard things about how dangerous they are, but nothing this conclusive has been really shown.
@None None Sems like such an obvious danger now that I see it. I'm kind of amazed it never occurred to me before
Me either now I don't know if I want to stay in ignorance is bliss mood. lmao
These accidents are on the rise every year...because lawmakers have insisted on smaller, lighter and cheaper cars because petroleum is bad.
@nobody special Name one case where lawmakers have pushed "smaller, lighter or cheaper cars" Keep in mind, EV's far outweigh gas powered cars.
I’m a professional driver, I was involved in a fatality accident when a woman blew a stop sign and pulled out right in front of me. It still pains me to this day even though I wasn’t at fault!
Dont feel bad your just weeding out the stupid.
Statistically that's the normal at 70% plus that are caused by cars. It's senseless, distracted, incompetent and unsafe car drivers daily causing staggering accident rates
Let that shit go driver. She made her choice that day. Unfortunately she paid for that choice with her life. She did not value her life,cause if she did,she would have stopped. Let it go driver, let it go. It was not your fault.
This exact same incident happened to me one night in Arkansas. Luckily, I saw he was gonna run it and slowed the truck to a stop (small country road, nobody behind me) and I laid on the horn. He stopped in the middle of the road, scared to death. It was a small Arkansas town. It was the middle of the night and he was probably on the way to the store as we were headed to refuel ourselves. It shook me up so much, I wanted to quit right then and there, saying when I got to the terminal in Oklahoma City, I was done. Driving partner said 'thats stupid. It wasn't your fault he ran a stop sign.' The safety team reviewed the footage. 'Excellent job out there. You did everything right.' Yeah, but the realization that that would have killed him was something I couldn't stand. It kept me awake night after night. Replaying the moment in my mind and seeing it all over again. I eventually quit with my buddy agreeing to do the same. I still have the drive cam video. The fear of a crash scared me to no end. If one happened, and some horrible tragedy happened .. I wouldn't be able to ever live with that. I miss travel. The truck was even comfortable. I miss the sound of the reefer when sleeping. But, glad I don't do it anymore. And, they will give a CDL to anybody these days. The Industry is incredibly flawed. The trucks in the US are incredibly dangerous. I'm glad this documentary was made.
@@chrispaul1141 💯🙌💯🙌
As a truck driver I can say that mostly all non truck drivers are sooooo uneducated on truck safety, the most important not knowing we CANNOT stop like a car if you cut off a truck and hit the brakes that truck will most likely kill you... it takes a whole football field for a truck to come to a full stop going at 65 mph... this among many other things people should be aware of... we just want to work and get your goods to your local markets, be mindful of us we work 11 hours a day, most of us don't get to eat well or shower or go home every night, I love my job and I do my best to keep everyone on the road safe but it's an every day struggle to deal with road ragers and ignorant people on a daily basis
It is sad that a life versus a live-saving device is a monetary mathematical equation.
Twas ever thus
Now if someone just took you out of the equation we would all be better off.
@@ey67 You sure got that right. The most glaring and disgusting example I can think of is what Ford Motor Company tried to get away with back in the 1970's. You may (if you are old enough) recall that their Ford Pinto was a top selling compact car, but a fatal design flaw was uncovered. Without going into too much detail, basically they were exploding (gas tank) upon rear impact from another car. Hundreds, if not thousands were being killed or badly injured this way every year. So they brought in the number crunchers to do a cost-benefit analysis using the estimated cost of a recalling all of those Pintos for retrofitting/correction versus the projected future costs of liability/negligence claims resulting from lives lost and severe injuries. Spoiler: yeah....the executives ruled against a recall. Pretty dark stuff.. The best part for them is it is impossible to make a wrong decision...even if they miscalculated, we sucker taxpayers bail them out anyway. The golden parachute always opens, never fails!
@@michaelesgro9506 yes and Ralph Nader got involved with not safe at any speed and testified in Congress because I believe the Chevy Corvair had the same problem with gasoline tanks exploding as the were directly behind or near the rear bumper. Can't remember if the motor was in the rear Chevy stopped making the Corvair. Bad publicity I guess. We could have had him as POTUS but Americans have been too stoopido to live since saint Ronny reagan. So there it is. They all said we need more data. One would think that thousands dead over the last century provides enough data but that would enterfear with profits. Corporate crocodiles in suits. We are ruled by reptiles. What could go wrong?
This is an interesting documentary. My dad was a Nevada Highway Patrolman from the 1980s to the early 00's. I remember him being almost ecstatic that trucking regulations were strengthened in 1998. In 2005 he told me that if he had an accident involving a semi, it was almost ALWAYS fatal... for the other driver.
Trucks are safe. People in cars are dangerous.
@@sirvilhelmofyonderland A motor vehicle of any kind is only as safe as the person driving it. My dad used to talk about the many truckers he arrested for driving under the influence. No bumper is going to prevent a collision entirely but they might mean the difference between life and death.
@@megabittech the company I work for , Schneider has the most comprehensive drug testing program of any trucking company. They urine and hair follicle test. They test regularly. If we want to make the roads safe. Government should force trucking companies to drug test properly. IMO
@@sirvilhelmofyonderland AND, install safety equipment as described in this report.
@@megabittech Did he tell you about the many people in cars and pickups that he arrested for driving under the influence? Need to install breathalyzer switches on all cars and pickups.
I’m a truck driver. Keep your distance don’t drive next to 18 wheelers
I was a trucker. The problem with the side guards is weight. It adds a lot and the consumer would end up paying more for every thing they purchase and it intern would be a domino affect to our world economy. It is sad people die from this. But there are reputations on the amount of the truck and trailer weighs with cargo. You won’t be happy with the extra cost. It would in the long run not work for the global market. Your unfortunately seeing and hearing one piece of a ginormous puzzle in the scheme of things. Good luck and God Bless
I remember Jayne Mansfield's death, everyone was horrified at what happened. I'd thought the rear bars that were later put on trucks, would prevent similar. Rather shocked to be seeing this report in 2023 - 56 freaking years later!!!!
Mansfield bars, pretty gruesome wreck,
You can't hang a bumper off the bottom of a trailer that covers the whole back end of a trailer that will stop a car moving more than 15 or so mph without being ridiculously expensive and heavy.
Also, the driver of the vehicle that Jayne Mansfield was traveling in, was intoxicated, and unconscious when they struck the rear of the semi. Now, I have driven semi trucks for 43.5 years, now retired, and it's those type of incidents that gave the trucking industry the type of bad image they received. Yes, we as an industry do have issues and many thousand of bad actors( individuals driving that have no business behind the wheel or in control) of commercial motor vehicles, and mainly most are unscrupulous foreign operated companies, which are one step ahead of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and the D.O.T. operating illegally and do so until a major accident occurs, then Federal action is taken, but back to my point, the laws pertaining to motor vehicle operations in all 48 continuous states, reads, if you the operator of any motor vehicle, strikes any other vehicle from behind, YOU, the operator are at fault. Now, of course, everyone will get on the defensive, and slam my opinion, which is ok, but do yourself a favor, and re read your motor vehicle laws handbook again. I don't think THAT law has changed in 50+ years.
Yes, it appears that the "Mansfield Bar" is there for decoration only. Might as well be made out of balsa wood! lol Glad that her kids (in the back seat) survived!!
Very telling documentary. Who's really in control? Seems lobiests are.
*Lobbyist.
this is beside the point but trailers can be super dangerous even though the drivers who operate them are way more skilled than us regular drivers... i had long-distance experienced trucker as a roommate for a while, best driver i've ever met.. he told me numerous times to avoid trailers, don;t drive behind, besides or in front of them. 10 things can go wrong in 5 seconds; a simple tire explosion can be fatal if a car is close enough... just one tire weights ~100lbs and when even half of that thing travels at highway speeds, it's a deadly projectile
Welcome to the USA! The richest country in the world with the wealthiest companies cannot shell out a fraction of their revenue to save lives. Incredible.
Saw an old man in a Chrysler Lebaron do a rear under ride took his head off clean at the shoulders, as I drove by i looked down and his decapitated skull was in the back seat
Yuk!
Listen, my husband has been a truck driver for over 30 yrs. Some of the stuff he has witnessed is horrible. People don’t remember they need space to stop with trailers. A truck is t like a car. He has driven with 1 accident yrs ago and it was a driver who fell asleep. That driver ran into the back of his trailer. Thankfully he was ok. I have been on the truck with him and have seen some horrible drivers. We have watched trucks fall off bridges, embankments etc. They changed the hours a driver can drive now. They can drive 10 hrs and have to take 12 hrs off. Trucks now come with such technology that some will shut down at ten hours. It’s horrible out there.
The biggest hazard is cell phones. I’ve been a trucker for 8years now.
It isn't just commercial vehicles that cause underrun/overrun crashes. The number of lifted pickups-- especially 3/4 and 1 ton -- that are on the roads is increasing. The mismatch between their bumpers and the average passenger car is incredibly dangerous.
There are laws in most states with a maximum bumper height but its no longer being enforced.
There are laws in some states that limit lifts, bumper height, and frame height. I doubt it's enforced very strictly though. Don't think too many states have them either.
But nobody wants to talk about that because pickup truck owners don't carry 2 million dollar insurance policies!!!!!!! Everybody's after semi trucks everybody hates semi trucks because they want that semi truck to give them a trip down easy street and an early retirement! Trucks don't kill people. People kill people. Had a car today pass me on the fucking curb while I was making a right turn she was in my blind spot and she was going to let me hit her ass too. Guess what? There was a big ass dip in the rain gutter my tires were about to go down into and her car was about to go under my trailer. If that happened and my wheels dropped down a foot in that gutter she'd be crushed. I stopped in time because she was in my blind spot but I saw her in my right hood mirror. I got out truck and cussed her ass out and she was looking like she was disappointed. I took pic of her tag and called the law on her have them her tag number too.
Little white men need to bolster their self esteem. Let's leave that alone.
Bruh, I'm in a pickup on bigger wheels, yet I could be overtaken by these huge lifted trucks!
In my Philly we just had the collapse of a bridge due to a tanker truck overturned underneath and caught on fire.... I95 closed for months
Trailer/Truck companies should just do it. It would show that they care about the safety of others.
If only four wheelers would have to go to class every two years to renew their license and learn the smith system. It's a defensive course that everyone should learn.
Investigative journalists are heroes.
*Heroes
Until they do stories on Democrats…
Lesson... Dont cut off and brake check semi trucks and dont camp out beside a semi truck 🤷
In 2004 a research project showed clear evidence that cable guards for traffic safety was the clear winner in guardrail safety. Again in 2014. IT is 2023 and we are just now seeing the first cable systems being installed in WV. Bureaucracy specifically dealing with manufacturers and industry is a nightmare and is in need of dire restructuring and regulations. JUST like with the issues with trucks. Not that expensive to protect from all sides...compared to the lives lost every year. Not that expensive then or now...and the only reason is because regulators get stopped by the same lobbying special interest, anti-regulation tactics that we see with any and every industry. It is a shame.
I'm a "career coach" aka a trainer for a large US carrier. And I've failed the last 4 students I've had on my truck for unsafe driving. I'm 28 years old and the students getting on my truck are 21-25 years old and ADDICTED to their cell phones. I've taken videos of them using their phones while driving and have faced immense pressure from my company to look the other way and ignore the dangerous behavior. I have refused and I'm afraid I'm about to be fired for not "playing ball" I was just bribed with a $2,000 bonus on my last paycheck as a "performance bonus" but told by my supervisor to please help the company out and "get these new drivers into there own truck" I'm done with this profession and sickened with the lack of regulation on a federal level. It's abhorrent and gross how easiky the politicians and corporations are willing to gamble with innocent life for profit. I am left feeling disallusioned and ashamed.
A fully loaded tractor trailer is 40 tons. Big wheels and big breaks doesn’t mean it stops on a dime. Physics people. Leave them space!
Out where I spend most my driving time, there are a lot of trucks north of 60 tons. You can do that when you’re running with seven or more axles.
This kid didn't do anything wrong. What is wrong with you?
@@christinecampbell7301 it’s called FAFO, look it up. Well over 90% of accidents including a motor vehicle and a tractor trailer is the fault of the individual in the motor vehicle. I don’t have a whole lot of sympathy for stupid drivers anymore after years of driving on the nations highways.
I've been a truck driver for 15 years with 2 million miles behind the wheel without an accident. I can enumerate several scenarios of how 4whelers drivers drive totally inattentively. Another thing was the introduction of the ELD in the industry, thinking that it would reduce accidents or violations, but the reality is that we as a professional driver are under more stress them ever before. Those who cause accidents, 95% of the time are car drivers who cause the truck driver to swerve so as not to have a major disaster.I know many fellows driver that changed careers because of this ELD regulation that doesn't work at all. Side guards should be mandatory in every trailer. Less money, more stress, more bs, less time home, more traffic jams, more accident.
Congratulations, driver. I'm working on my 3 million miles now. God bless you. Keep up the safe driving, keep on Trucking.
If the government wants to make side guards a requirement, the states can pay the hundreds of millions of dollars it will cost
I am wondering, before passing ELD law, did the lawmakers ever spoke with truck drivers?
@@alexgunter4784, they basically ignored us. They have put in several laws over the years that have made things worse.
I love my career. I hate the constant accusation and implied guilt by just being in the truck! Millions of lives are SAVED EVERY DAY by TRUCKERS! The assumption is that we're 'just dumb Truckers (spit) (toothless grin)'. Driving a car today is nearly synonymous to lunch boxes carried to school in the 60's! The problem is ya can't treat driving like a tossing around your lunch box... like it's your right to drive however you want and everyone take care because you're out there.... Driving is a privilege and cars are often used to show just how much 'privilege' people assume. Licensing should be much stricter, to the point that state Patrol Reps should be in classes teaching basic physics about velocity, weight, mathematics of impact..... Stuff like that. Just saying.....