Unfortunately for those of us who love living here and who regularly use local roadways, Oregon is prone to trucking accidents. According to ODOT’s 2011 Summary of Oregon Truck Safety, half of the trucks accident on Oregon’s roads are attributable to poor driving or mechanical failure.
Semi-truck accidents account for about 12% of all motor vehicle fatalities each year and the occupant of the other vehicle is killed in 98% of those cases. The primary reason for this deadly outcome in semi-truck accidents is the massive weight and size differential between 80,000 lb loaded semi-trucks and 3,000 lb passenger vehicles. People in passenger vehicles that are struck by semi-trucks have little chance of surviving.
Regulatory Changes Promote Safety
Major regulatory changes have been introduced to the trucking industry in recent years. Standards and processes for accident documentation, employment screening, working hours, driver training and safety requirement have all been improved. Despite these steps in the right direction, large trucking companies are still pushing Congress to increase the national cap on truck size from 80,000 pounds to 97,000 pounds. The battle to keep our roads safe for passenger vehicles continues.
This is our second post in a blog series about semi-truck accidents in our state. The attorneys at our law firm are experienced Oregon semi-truck accident lawyers and we are here to help you if you or a loved one has been injured in a semi-truck accident in our state.