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Truck Wreck Justice 

Nearly 70 percent of the nation’s goods are transported by truck, yet the trucking industry is 

currently seeking tens of thousands of drivers

 to fill its cabs. This comes at a time when companies are carrying near-record freight loads due to steady economic demand and lower fuel prices. As empty truck cabs multiply and demand for drivers rises, companies are seeking a new demographic to fill the void: retirees. While this is good news for older workers who are looking to rejoin the labor force, a number of traffic safety experts and trucking industry veterans are asking whether this trend might make our highways less safe.

Approximately 10 percent of commercial truck drivers today are above the age of 65. The “trucking generation” or those aged 45–55, make up the largest group, (roughly 30 percent) of the industry. This same generation also made up the majority of drivers in 1994, when they were aged 24–35.

Industry experts say that few people in their 20s or 30s today consider a career as a truck driver due to the demanding hours, the relatively low pay, and the sometimes-tedious nature of the work. These factors are the main reason why the trucking industry continues to struggle when it comes to finding younger drivers, and why employers have turned instead toward recruiting older drivers who are seeking post-retirement employment.

The body of scientific evidence shows, though, that as humans age, vision and hearing, cognitive functioning, and reaction time deteriorate. Undeniably, an older driver is at a greater risk of not reacting quickly enough to respond to sudden traffic shifts or obstacles in the road. Not only that, but the demanding schedule of a long-haul trucker can create fatigue among even the youngest and fittest drivers. Fatigue is among the leading causes of large truck crashes today, and it’s very likely that the aging of the trucking workforce will further aggravate this problem.

Epidemiological studies show, for example, that more than 50% of adults over age 65 have some form of chronic sleep-related complaint, which makes it much more difficult for them to get a good night’s rest. Experts also consider advanced age a risk factor for sleep apnea, 

which is a leading cause of truck driver fatigue.

Crash Data Indicates Wrecks Are on the Rise Among Older Truckers

Large truck crash data from recent years seems to indicate that the swell of older drivers is already leading to more truck wrecks. CBS News, for instance, analyzed crash data from 12 states in October 2016 and reported that accidents involving truck and bus drivers in their 70s, 80s and 90s increased 19 percent between 2013 and 2015.

RELATED: Illegal Truck Stops Can Cause Accidents And Endanger Lives

Currently, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) allows anyone, regardless of age, to become a truck driver as long as they pass the required physical. Law enforcement and industry professionals express concern, though, that trucking companies may be hiring drivers who are unable to withstand the physical and mental demands of long-haul commercial trucking simply to meet driver demand, and 

that the rising numbers of truck wrecks each year

Complicating matters is the fact that experts who express concern about older truckers and their effect on traffic safety must toe a fine line when it comes to proposing reforms or risk running afoul of federal anti-discrimination laws. Rose McMurray, a former senior executive at the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), said the industry considered implementing regular skills tests for older commercial drivers in the 1990s, but said that courts eventually determined that anti-discrimination laws prevented such requirements.

“It clearly can result in a lot of political backlash… so state governments have grappled with this, the federal government has grappled with this… because the age discrimination laws really intervene,” she said to CBS.

Some experts have proposed a periodic truck driver skills test — one without any age stipulations — as a safety measure that might begin to address this problem. However, no consensus exists yet as to how such a test might be implemented. As the trucking industry navigates potential solutions to this issue, one fact remains apparent: we’re just beginning to understand the impacts of an aging pool of truck drivers on highway safety.

Injured in a Trucking Accident? Contact Morgan Adams

If you or your someone you know has suffered because of a 

, Truck Wreck Justice Attorney Morgan Adams is here to help. With years of experience and a sole focus on large vehicle cases, 

 has the resources to fight aggressively on your behalf and protect your rights throughout the complex process of a trucking accident case.

Please contact Truck Wreck Justice at (866) 580-4878 or 

 if you need help. We offer free initial consultations to assess your situation and discuss your legal options, and we handle cases on a contingent fee basis, which means that you won’t pay attorney’s fees unless we achieve a financial recovery on your behalf.

Are older commercial truck drivers causing more danger on nation’s highways? (2016, October 18). 

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/trucking-semi-industry-recruiting-retirees-commercial-drivers-accidents/

Rafter, M. (2016, June 14). Truck driver shortage: Is it self-inflicted? 

https://www.trucks.com/2016/06/14/truck-driver-shortage-self-inflicted/

Short, J. (2014, December). Analysis of truck driver demographics across two decades [whitepaper]. 

American Transportation Research Institute.

http://atri-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Analysis-of-Truck-Driver-Age-Demographics-FINAL-12-2014.pdf

Are Older Truck Drivers Causing More Wrecks?

For years, state and federal highway safety agencies 

have staged so-called public awareness campaigns

 to inform drivers about the blind spots — or as they’re often called, “No-Zones” — around large trucks.

Unfortunately, these campaigns — although they may be fueled by good intentions — are largely the product of efforts from trucking industry lobbyists, publicists, and lawyers to shield trucking companies from liability. Trucking companies know that their trucks kill people in these spots, and they know how to reliably, effectively, and economically detect cars in these areas using common methods and technologies. Unfortunately, many trucking companies would rather blame truck wreck victims instead of making minimal adjustments and small increases in spending to save lives.

While it’s not a bad idea to know about the most dangerous areas near a commercial truck on the road for your own safety, the bottom line is that there’s no excuse for trucks to crash into vehicles in these spots, as they are aware of the danger and can easily eliminate these alleged blind spots. The sooner the trucking industry is forced to reckon with these preventable accidents, the safer our highways will be.

Where Are a Tractor-Trailer’s Blind Spots?

Tractor-trailers typically have three major blind spots in the area around the vehicle. These blind spots fall within the following locations:

On both sides of the vehicle, extending backward at a 45-degree angle from the cab.

Directly in front of the truck in the same lane, and in the next lane over to the right.

A disproportionate number of the 4,000 fatalities that result from 

 each year do involve a truck hitting a vehicle in one of these three locations. However, that doesn’t mean passenger vehicle drivers bear the responsibility for these wrecks. In fact, the trucking industry could eliminate many of these crashes simply by adopting common-sense safety measures.

Proper Mirror Adjustment: The First Line of Defense Against Blind Spots

The idea that truck mirrors can’t be adjusted to cover blind spots is largely a myth. In fact, truck drivers can nearly eliminate blind spots with a properly-adjusted system of side-mounted convex mirrors and a fender-mounted convex mirror on the vehicle’s right side. In addition, many trucks have a glass window in the bottom part of the passenger door that allows the driver to see cars and motorcycles to the right of the tractor-trailer.

RELATED: “Truck Accident” vs. “Truck Crash”: The Case for At-Fault Language

Unfortunately, far too many truck drivers either haven’t been trained by their employers on how to adjust their mirrors properly or don’t take the time to do so. To help drivers set their mirrors, safety experts have recommended that truck and bus companies employ “mirror-check stations” that have calibrated markings to help truckers and bus drivers set their mirrors accurately.

While a full outdoor mirror-check station can take up a lot of space, more compact vertical mirror-check stations also exist and can help smaller trucking companies implement these stations in a manageable way. Since mirror-check stations aren’t required by law, however, many trucking companies don’t institute them and don’t bother to help their drivers set their mirrors properly. This is a classic industry failure that sets up poorly-trained truck drivers for failure.

Radar and Other Safety Measures Could Prevent “No-Zone” Crashes

New developments in technology offer even more reliable ways to eliminate tractor-trailer blind spots. For example, radar- and camera-based detection units 

. These systems can identify cars, pedestrians, cyclists, and other objects in a truck’s blind spots and warn the driver if a collision seems likely. The Eaton Vorad radar system, for example, 

. Daimler (the truck division of Mercedes-Benz) unveiled one the most sophisticated and comprehensive blind-spot detection systems for commercial trucks in September 2014, and the company will offer this system on new commercial trucks once it finishes the testing and validation process.

Regardless of which safety measures trucking companies use to address blind spots, though, the fact remains that trucking companies have known about the hazards presented by tractor-trailer blind spots for decades and have no excuse for not taking adequate measures to protect their drivers and others on the road from the danger of these spots. In many cases, “No-Zone” awareness campaigns simply serve as another way for negligent trucking companies to shift the blame toward unsuspecting car and motorcycle drivers and avoid liability.

Contact Truck Wreck Justice If You’ve Been Injured in a Trucking Accident

If you or a loved one has been injured or if you’ve lost a loved one in a crash involving a large truck or bus, you need a determined and experienced advocate like Truck Wreck Justice Attorney Morgan Adams. With decades of experience and a sole focus on large vehicle cases, Morgan Adams has the skills and resources required to tackle the complicated legal issues surrounding a trucking accident. His firm is aware of the tricks and schemes the trucking industry uses to avoid liability for the harm they cause, and unlike “jack-of-all-trades and master of none” attorneys, Truck Wreck Justice’s sole focus on these wrecks often results in more favorable offers from trucking company insurance carriers. In addition, when unfairly low settlement offers are made, our lawyers won’t hesitate to take your case to trial and stand up for your rights in court.

Please contact Truck Wreck Justice at (432) 265-2020 or 

 if you are seeking legal representation or assistance. We offer free consultations to help you gain a better understanding of your legal options, and we handle cases on a contingent-fee basis, which means that you’ll only pay fees or case expenses if we achieve a monetary recovery on your behalf.

Jeffrey, C. (2014, September 3). Mercedes-Benz unveils Blind Spot Assist technology for trucks. 

http://newatlas.com/mercedes-benz-daimler-radar-blindspot-assist-trucks/33625/

Large truck and bus crash facts 2014. (2016, April 15). 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/data-and-statistics/large-truck-and-bus-crash-facts-2014

Moran, T. (2004, February 2). Radar brings vision to cars’ blind spots. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/02/automobiles/autos-on-monday-technology-radar-brings-vision-to-cars-blind-spots.html?_r=0

Tractor-Trailer “No-Zones” Are Just Trucking Industry Propaganda

Truck Wreck Justice is the online home of Truck Wreck Justice, a personal injury law firm with a primary focus on large truck litigation.

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