MONSTER TRUCKS: DANGER AHEAD

Unless individuals--and lawyers representing victims--get involved, the monster trucks will soon take over the highways. Arrayed against those who speak for victims is a powerful lobby, not only in Washington but also in state capitals. The lobby is now trying to convince Congress and the state legislatures that, in order to increase productivity, the various jurisdictions should legalize monster triple- and longer double-trailer vehicles. This article points out some of the dangers that lie ahead if such trucks are legalized. In representing accident victims and their families, trial lawyers gather evidence about what causes many of these tragedies. Among this evidence are the following: driver fatigue - truck drivers are particularly vulnerable; drug and alcohol abuse - one out of three truckers killed on the roads died with excessive amount of illegal drugs or alcohol in the blood; bad tires, improper brakes, or other mechanical defects - drivers often avoided the check stations; an excessive load that caused the vehicle to become difficult to control; industry practice of paying the driver for the miles driven and not the hours worked; and collisions where laws of physics dictated that the truck would suffer little or no damage but the car would be demolished, its driver and passengers maimed or killed. Also pointed out are the economic considerations that argue against increasing truck size and weight, such as accelerated road deterioration that will require investment in either heavy-duty surfaces or more frequent maintenance, and the cost of redesigning highways to accommodate longer combination vehicles.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00412538
• Corporate Authors:

  Association of Trial Lawyers of America

  1050 31st Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20007
• Authors:
  • Blanchard, C F
• Publication Date: 1991-6

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 106-110
• Serial:
  • Trial
  • Volume: 27
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Association of Trial Lawyers of America
  • ISSN: 0041-2538

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Axle load force; Economics; Hazards; Highway design; Highway safety; Laws; Size; Size and weight regulations; Tractor trailer combinations; Trucks; Weight
• Uncontrolled Terms: Longer combination vehicles; Triple trailers
• Old TRIS Terms: Truck highway damage
• Subject Areas: Economics; Highways; Law; Motor Carriers; Safety and Human Factors; Society; Vehicles and Equipment; I10: Economics and Administration; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00619260
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 29 1992 12:00AM