Many New Yorkers may fear taking to the roads alongside large trucks. This is understandable considering the potentially devastating results of a truck collision with a passenger vehicle. However, one initiative by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance is working to promote safer driving practices among both passenger vehicle drivers and commercial truck drivers. Called Operation Safe Driver Week, the initiative begins on July 15 and aims to cut down on the number of fatalities, injuries and overall motor vehicle crashes caused by unsafe driving.
Across the country, unsafe driving is the leading cause of devastating car accidents. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says that unsafe driving is responsible for 88 percent of crashes involving large trucks and 93 percent of passenger vehicle accidents. Operation Safe Driver Week will include a variety of actions to emphasize driver safety, including law enforcement involvement. Traffic police will be ticketing motorists for texting while driving, speeding, following too closely, changing lanes improperly, running red lights and other dangerous driving practices. The enforcement actions will target both passenger vehicles and large trucks.
Trucking accidents are a particular safety concern because the size and mass of these vehicles can easily lead to severe injuries and even fatalities. During Operation Safe Driver Week in 2017, nearly 39,000 citations and warnings were distributed to the commercial drivers. Most of the infractions involved moving violations.
People who have been injured in a trucking accident may experience serious consequences and lifelong disabilities. Accident victims can consult with personal injury lawyers about filing claims. A lawyer can help a victim pursue compensation for the harms suffered, including medical bills and lost wages.
