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Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

A new ban enacted by the federal government immediately bans all bus drivers and all drivers or larger commercial trucks from text messaging while driving. The new ban aims to reduce the serious collisions, bus accidents, trucking accidents, and pedestrian accidents which have been attributed to texting while driving. Under the new ban, any bus drivers or truck drivers found texting while driving may face fees and penalties of up to $2,750.

The ban is the latest in a string of legislation and news items which has shone light on the problems associated with texting and driving. As of December, all drivers operating federal vehicles were banned from texting while driving. Ten states as well as the District of Columbia have made it illegal to text and drive. The senate is considering new laws which would force all states to ban texting while driving. States who do not comply would stand to lose federal funding under the new laws.

As the media has widely reported, the link between texting and truck and car accidents is a close one. According to a recent study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, texting truck drivers were 23.2 times more likely to be in a truck accident, when compared with drivers who were not distracted. The same study found that truck drivers were 5.9 times as likely to have a truck accident while talking on a cell phone and 6.7 times as likely to be in an accident while reaching for a cell phone or mobile device.

A number of influential groups and organizations have already tried to change popular notions of texting and driving. This month, The Oprah Winfrey show featured the dangers of texting and driving and pleaded with viewers to stop the practice. The AAA and other groups have also called for drivers to put down mobile devices while driving. The use of mobile devices is being referred to as “distracted driving” and it refers to any use of a mobile device while driving. There is a growing movement to make distracted driving not only illegal but socially unacceptable as well.

Many fleets and trucking companies have already banned texting or distracted driving, but the new legislation will likely make even more bus drivers and truck drivers put down their mobile devices. It is possible that drivers found in violation of the new law will face penalties from their employers as well as from the law, although trucking companies have not spoken extensively to the media about their own efforts to crack down on distracted driving.

While most people approve of the new legislation, a new study may have some people raising eyebrows. Released this week, a report by the Highway Loss Data Institute has found that texting laws and bans do not have a significant impact on crash rates. The Highway Loss Data Institute, associated with and funded by insurance companies, looked at the accident rates of insured cars in the months before and after bans of handheld devices in cars went into effect. The study found that while use of handheld devices dropped after a ban, the rate of accidents did not increase with it.

Many drivers buy light trucks for the convenience of being able to haul large items. Whether you work in an industry that requires a light truck or whether you run your own business, a light truck may seem like a good choice. Ironically, many drivers also choose to buy light trucks because they believe that these trucks are safer on the roads. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Light truck accidents cause many injuries and deaths each year. Due to the larger size and weight of a light truck (when compared with a passenger vehicle) fatalities, brain injuries, amputations, spinal cord injuries, and other harm is more of a risk with light trucks. As well, light trucks may be more prone to rollovers.

Light trucks are classified as any vehicles with a payload of less than 4000 pounds. These vehicles can include vans, pickup trucks, and SUVs (sport utility vehicles). If you own a light truck, there are many things you can do to reduce the risk of an accident:

1) Use great tires. Good quality tires are a must, because you will likely be carrying more weight on your vehicle. As well, light trucks take a longer time to stop than passenger vehicles, especially when fully loaded. Good tires will provide you with the traction you need as well as the safety you need.

2) Load carefully. Always carry rope and cords in your truck so that you can secure anything you want to carry. When you buy a light truck, you will inevitably hear from friends and family who are moving or buying larger items. Learn to load your truck safely and avoid overloading at all costs. Make two trips if you need to, but don’t carry more than the truck can hold. Avoid driving with a too-large item sticking out of the back. Even if it is well secured, it is often safer to hire a professional with a larger truck to move very large pieces.

3) Get some training. If you have always driven a passenger vehicle, consider getting some additional or refresher training in light trucks. Keep in mind that the driving experience is quite different. You will be further off the ground and will have more blind spots. Learn to drive this new type of vehicle safely.

4 Minimize blind spots. Although light trucks have fewer blind spots than commercial trucks, they have more than passenger vehicles. Blind spots can lead to pedestrian accidents and collisions. Angle your mirrors carefully and consider getting a back up auto sensor. These devices can show you exactly what is behind your truck via a small camera.

Although Florida residents are lucky enough to not have to worry about snow and ice on the roads most of the time, winter weather can still be a concern for drivers. On occasion, temperatures in Florida do drop below freezing in the winter. When this happens, many people are unprepared and this can lead to car accidents and trucking accidents. As well, many truck drivers drive outside of state lines, where they can encounter winter weather. If you drive a truck (or even a passenger vehicle) you need to consider winter driving.

If you are driving outside the state in areas where snow and ice are prevalent, keep in mind that winter means more trucks on the roads. All areas experiencing winter weather hire snow plows and salt trucks to keep roads and streets clear. As well, tow trucks are more common at this time of year as more people need help getting their cars out of ice and snow.

If you are driving outside the state, keep an eye out for snow plows, tow trucks, and trucks distributing salt. Keep in mind that some of these vehicles will move erratically and may move more slowly. Snow plows, for example, may back up or drive in odd patterns as they try to move large amounts of snow. Tow trucks may have to reverse a number of times when tugging a car out of the ice. Look for the flashing lights these trucks use and be prepared to drive slowly and stop suddenly.

Keep in mind, too, that commercial trucks are also struggling with icy and snowy conditions. Larger trucks already have a hard time stopping and slowing down due to their size and weight. It becomes even harder for trucks to drive on slippery roads. If you are driving behind a truck, give them more room than usual if you are in snowy or icy conditions.

When driving beside a truck in icy conditions, be wary of fishtailing. Fishtailing happens when the trailer of a tractor trailer drives over an icy patch, causing the cab and the trailer to go in opposite directions. When this happens, the trailer can easily enter another lane, crushing trucks and cars there. As well, fishtailing can cause rollovers.

Truck rollovers are a common cause of trucking accidents and due to the size and weight of trucks these accidents tend to cause a lot of damage and injury. Rollovers involving large trucks can cause damage, fatalities, and personal injuries. What is especially devastating about these types of accidents is that most of them can be prevented.

Most engineers and experts agree that the major problem with rollovers is that they happen very quickly – usually before a truck driver has a chance to react. Many drivers are close to the point of rollover and do not even know it. In fact, according to some safety experts, the safety margin in these situations is quite small.

The first step to preventing rollover accidents is to identify what causes them. There are two forces working on a truck: those working to keep the truck upright and those working to push the truck over (these are called lateral acceleration). When lateral acceleration gets too great, a rollover occurs. Engineers and experts measure rollover risks in terms of something called rollover threshold (RT). The RT refers to the maximum amount of lateral acceleration that can be withstood by particular vehicle before it rolls over. For a passenger car, the RT is 1.3. For a tri axle trailer and tractor that is fully loaded, the RT can be 0.28.

Many things can cause a truck to surpass its RT and rollover:

1) The center of gravity of the truck. Usually, this is affected by the loading process and the materials in a truck. A truck that is heavily loaded and has a very high center of gravity is more likely to roll over. As well, the amount of space between tires can also impact the RT of a truck – where tires are closer together, the truck is more likely to roll over.

2) Speed and turns. A truck that is speeding is far more likely to rollover, since fast speeds can affect lateral acceleration. The sharpness of turns and even the tilt of a roadway can also contribute to rollovers.

3) Trailers. Tractor trailers are more likely to be in rollover situations because there is a difference in rollover risk for the tractor and the trailer. When a driver is making a turn, he or she can usually feel the correct speed for the tractor. However, the trailer is attached to the cab or tractor and its lateral acceleration may be different. If a driver mistakenly takes a turn a little too fast and sharp, this can cause the trailer to rollover, which can in turn cause the tractor or cab to roll as well.

Obviously, awareness of RT and lateral acceleration is crucial in stopping truck accidents. Reducing speeds and taking turns gradually can help prevent many accidents. Proper driver training is also a must in helping drivers understand how to drive safely.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 5000 people die because of large truck collisions each year. These types of large truck accidents occur about half a million times each year on our roads and in addition to the lives they claim, they also cause a slew of personal injuries. Large truck accidents tend to make the news because of the amount of devastation they cause, but not all large truck accidents are the same. In fact, there are many types of large truck accidents, each causing their own problems and damage:

1) Rollovers. Trucks tend to be tall and this creates a high center of gravity. When a truck loses control, rollovers are very common. Rollovers most often occur on a turn or when a driver drives over an object. Rollovers cause fatalities and many types of injuries. A truck can fall onto a passenger vehicle and kill everyone inside. A truck driver in a rollover accident can sustain serious brain injuries and spinal cord injuries from being tossed about in the cab.

2) Brake failure. Brake failure is a common cause of truck accidents, since truck brakes require good training to use. Many things can make a truck’s brakes fail: mechanical problems, poor weather conditions, and a properly balanced and secured load. Even overheated brakes that have not had time to cool completely can fail.

3) Blind spot problems. Large trucks have large blind spots behind them and to either side of them. If another vehicle is in these spots when a truck changes lanes or turns, an accident can easily occur. These accidents also have a high risk of fatalities, simply due to the size and weight of the truck.

4) Underride Accidents. These types of accidents occur when a passenger car collides with a truck and slides underneath the truck. The truck often drags the car along before the driver can come to a complete stop. The front and top of the passenger vehicle is usually crushed in this type of accident and the front passengers in the passenger car are at high risk of brain injury, amputation injuries, and other serious injuries.

5) Wide turns. When a truck makes a turn, the driver will sometimes swing to the opposite direction first. This can cause the truck to collide with any vehicle that happens to be in the way. This vehicle may be crushed or pushed off the road. Such accidents can cause chain reactions of accidents – especially if a car is pushed by the truck into oncoming traffic – and multiple personal injuries.

6) Head-on collisions. These accidents occur when a truck strikes another oncoming vehicle. These collisions almost always result in fatalities if the other vehicle is a smaller passenger car. Often, these accidents take place when either the truck or vehicle drifts into an oncoming lane.

Fire trucks are designed to get equipment and fire fighters safely to a blaze so that fire fighters can help put out a fire and deal with other life-saving situations. Unfortunately, many experts say that fire truck accidents are on the rise, and this problem is causing many types of injuries and problems. Fire truck accidents injure passengers of other cars as well as pedestrians. They tap resources which need to be spent on emergencies. Worse, a fire truck that has been in an accident is slowed down, so that the persons waiting for a fire truck may suffer fatalities or serious burn injuries because a truck did not arrive in time. Each year, fire truck accidents also take many fire trucks off the roads, stretching resources thin and making it harder for fire fighters to respond to emergencies in a timely way.

In 2005 alone, there were 15,885 fire truck accidents taking place while fire trucks drove to and from emergencies. According to the National Fire Protection Association, this number appears to be rising. In part, experts say, the increase in truck accidents stems from the hiring of new personnel in fire fighting departments.

Drivers of fire trucks need plenty of experience and training, since fire trucks are long, heavy, and large. They are very hard to maneuver around city streets, especially city streets where parking is permitted. In many cases, as well, fire trucks need access to small areas – such as small driveways – and getting a large fire truck into such areas takes a great deal of experience and good training.

New drivers are not the only ones who get into accidents with fire trucks. Experienced drivers also have accidents. Driving a fire truck is often a high-pressure situation. Drivers are working hard to maneuver a very large truck down smaller city streets and they are rushing to get to a fire to save lives. Sometimes, accidents occur as a result of the hurry. As well, not all pedestrians and drivers yield right of way or follow safe driving procedures around fire trucks.

Some fire departments have found a solution that can help. Several fire departments around the country have purchased a driving simulator, which consists of a real fire truck cab with three large screens positioned around it. Drivers can train in the simulator, which can be programmed to mimic rush hour, poor weather conditions, and other bad conditions for drivers. The simulator is not inexpensive – service contracts can cost $23,000 annually – but experts say the devices could help prevent pedestrian accidents, fire truck accidents, and serious injuries. The New York City fire department claims that its fire truck accidents decreased by 12% after using the simulator.

Fire trucks are intended to get to the scene of a fire quickly so that emergency crews can save lives and stop fires. However, fire trucks also pose a risk of traffic accidents. Fire trucks are designed to speed to the site of a fire and these vehicles can legally run red lights in order to offer life-saving services. However, many things can go wrong when a fire truck is racing to the scene of an emergency:

1) Other cars and pedestrians may not follow safety rules regarding fire trucks. Both pedestrians and cars are supposed to yield right of way to fire engines who have lights and sirens on. Cars should pull over to the side of the road to allow fire trucks and other emergency vehicles through. Pedestrians should steer clear of these trucks and allow trucks through at all times. Unfortunately, many people simply do not follow these rules. Some drivers actually race after fire trucks, hoping to run a red light, too. When pedestrians and drivers do not yield right of way, auto accidents, fire truck accidents, and pedestrian accidents can be the inevitable result.

2) Truck driver training may be inadequate. Fire truck drivers need extra training to deal with the excessive speeds required to get to an emergency and the special equipment inside a fire truck. Drivers without adequate experience and training are more likely to cause an accident.

3) Truck size may be a factor. Fire trucks are large, long, and loaded with life-saving equipment. Many fire trucks are 8 feet wide and 31 feet long, weighing 20 tons with all equipment on board. This can make them more challenging to drive. In areas where narrow streets are a problem, navigating a fire truck can be very difficult unless a driver is very experienced and well-trained.

4) Some drivers park illegally. When drivers of passenger vehicles park in illegal spots or too close to fire lanes, fire trucks in a rush may experience fender benders or may brush or collide with these vehicles. Many fire truck accidents are minor fender-bender type collisions with parked cars. In cities with narrow streets, especially, correct parking is essential.

Unfortunately, fire truck accidents have far-reaching consequences. Fire trucks that have been in an accident may be out of service, reducing the number of life-saving vehicles available on the road in an emergency. A small number of people sustain injuries due to fire truck accidents each year, although fatalities are rare.

A new group called FocusDriven has been started by Elissa Schee. Schee’s daughter was killed in 2008, when a semi tractor trailer crashed into the school bus carrying the child. Police investigators found that driver distraction caused by cell phone use as well as hours of service problems caused the trucking accident. In response, Schee decided to start FocusDriven to change laws and to reduce the problem of distracted drivers.

Schee and other members of FocusDriven recently met with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to discuss possible bans on cell phone use while driving. All the members of FocusDriven had lost loved ones in trucking accidents, bus accidents, car accidents, and other vehicle accidents caused by a distracted driver who was using a cell phone at the time of the collision. All the members believe their loved ones would still be alive today if legislation was tougher on cell phone use among drivers.

Statistics and research seem to support their theories. Numerous studies have shown that texting or talking on a cell phone can be as deadly as drunk driving. In fact, both drunk drivers and drivers texting while driving have a four times greater chance of being in a collision than non-distracted drivers. Truck drivers and bus drivers are an especial danger when texting or talking on cell phones, since their vehicles are far more likely to kill or cause serious personal injuries in an accident.

Some states – including Florida – have considered legislation which would ban cell phone use among drivers. However, while such legislation has plenty of popular support some experts note that enforcing the legislation would be a considerable challenge. Some experts also suggest that public attitudes about texting and driving are not as fixed as attitudes about drunk driving, for example. Cell phone use while driving does not have the same social stigma, which may be one reason why driver distraction is so prevalent. These are just the sorts of attitudes that groups such as FocusDriven hope to change.

FocusDriven hopes to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and hopes to raise money for group activities. A FocusDriven will be located in Florida and the group hopes to open chapters in states across the country in upcoming months. The group is already being compared to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, a group which was also initiated by a grieving parent and went on to change legislation as well as attitudes surrounding drunk driving accidents.

Large commercial trucks, SUVs and some buses all have a higher risk of rollovers, due to their low center of gravity and their distribution of weight. With large commercial trucks, especially, rollover accidents are a concern because these very large trucks can cause a lot of damage when they rollover on highways. An out of control truck can cause collisions, car accidents, and property damage as well as fatalities. Many commercial trucks are used to transport flammable or dangerous materials. In the event of an accident or rollover, these materials can fuel out of control fires.

Increasing awareness about truck rollovers has placed additional pressure on manufacturers of trucks as well as trucking companies to prevent these sorts of accidents. Manufacturers have been developing rollover warning and control systems in order to help prevent some of these types of accidents. These devices might prove very popular, especially since they may be modified to fit vans and SUVs to help prevent SUV and van rollovers as well.

Research studies have suggested that commercial truck design can also play a large role in preventing rollover accidents. Currently, high cg heights and large dimensions as well as heavy loads on these trucks contribute to rollover accidents, especially with higher speeds. Incorrect distribution and securing of loads has also proven to cause accidents.

In fact, rollovers are a leading cause of accidents involving articulated vehicles. These types of accidents cause millions of dollars of property damage as well as significant loss of life each year. In some cases, driver error or incorrect training have been found to lead to rollover accidents. Studies have shown that the speed drivers consider safe for a turn are very close to rollover threshold limits of large commercial trucks.

Statistics have shown that 13% of all fatal crashes involving heavy vehicles are caused by rollovers. About 3% of all collisions on US highways are due to rollovers. Each year, NHSTA reports that 43 200 fatalities occur on American highways. About one third of those deaths are due to trucking accidents. Many more people escape with their lives but suffer for months or years with serious personal injuries, such as burn injuries, brain injuries, broken bones, amputations, or spinal cord injuries.

Experts have found many methods of preventing truck rollover accidents. Some experts recommend hydraulic actuators or active braking. Alarm and warning systems which warn drivers of possible rollovers are also endorsed by some experts. Although many experts hope for a good rollover warning or prevention system, manufacturers of such systems are hampered by the fact that any such device would have to identify and respond to a wide variety of factors that can contribute to rollovers without too many false warnings.

In Australia, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union has initiated a campaign that may see fewer large trucks on the road. The campaign aims to ban road transport of hazardous materials over long distances. The campaign will see dangerous materials – including gasoline and fuels – transported by rail instead of truck. Many experts note that this campaign was launched after the holiday season of 2009, when eight people were killed in trucking accidents in a ten day period.

Experts in the US have suggested that certain goods are better transported by rail rather than by truck, as well. A study of heavy trucks in Maine, for example, found that car accidents and traffic accidents involving large trucks were growing and that these accidents had high rates of personal injury as well as fatalities.

The Maine Study, published by The Truck Safety Coalition, found that Maine permitted large trucks of 100,000 pounds – including trucks carrying hazardous goods – to transport items on residential and lower-class local streets. This was done despite research which showed that larger trucks had higher accident risks due to rollover hazards and braking issues.

The study found that rail transport was a much safer way to transport hazardous materials and extra-heavy loads, when compared to trucking transportation options. According to researchers, transporting items by rail, there was only one-seventh the fatality rate per one trillion ton-miles of transport, when compared to trucking transport. As well, train accidents are decreasing even as the number of trucking accidents, according to many studies, is on the rise.

Further, the study found that trucking and trucking accidents are harming bridges and roads, not allowing roadwork to keep up with demand for repairs. Many experts believe that transporting more items by rail instead of by truck can help reduce this problem. Heavy trucks are linked to road damage, and federal studies have suggested that virtually all road pavement damage can be attributed to heavy trucks. Transporting more items by rail may save on road repair and may decrease the number of car accidents and truck accidents due to road conditions.

According to The Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), truck drivers spend, on average, 44 hours in their cabs when their trucks are not moving. Drivers remain with their trucks while the trucks are loaded, unloaded, transported by ferry, serviced, and so forth. However, many companies only pay their drivers by miles driven. This means that drivers who are paid in this way spend an average of 44 hours per week not being paid.

According to trucking industry experts, this method of paying drivers sets a dangerous precedent. Drivers need to drive in order to make deadlines and in order to get paid. If drivers are not paid for 44 hours on the job (or the equivalent of more than a full workweek), they must work extra hard in order to earn a living wage. According to experts, this way of paying drivers encourages them to speed, as drivers strive to make up their unpaid hours with some paid hours.

Most drivers earn $38,000 - $50,000 per year and must spend considerable time in a truck, away from their families. A pay structure based on hours driven depletes the quality of life for drivers – who must spend hours more on the road to make their wages – and encourages drivers to speed in order to make more money.

Advocacy groups such as Road Safe America as well as other organizations believe that drivers should be paid for all driving-related work, not just for hours driven. Experts claim that this will discourage drivers from speeding. In addition, it may discourage drivers from driving while exhausted. This, in turn, can help prevent the fatalities and serious personal injuries caused by trucking accidents.

Under current pay-only-for-distance-driven schemes, drivers who fall behind due to truck maintenance or delays in unloading or loading may be tempted to drive longer distances in order to get paid. After all, if they do not, they will not make up the money lost idling. Under a fairer wage system, which would see drivers paid by the hour for all driving-related work, drivers would not feel the same pressure to “make up” time and wages by speeding or by driving when tired, experts assert.

Some trucking companies already do this, and pay drivers a fair hourly wage. These companies do not evaluate driver efficiency just by distance traveled. This sort of system tends to mean more satisfied drivers and safer roads, advocates claim.

Studies between 2003 and 2007 revealed that licensing fraud exists in at least 24 states. When federal investigators learn of licensing fraud, they move to retest and reexamine all drivers who have received their licenses under suspicious circumstances. However, experts estimate that there may be thousands of unqualified drivers who have received their trucking licenses from suspect sources.

In many cases, licensing fraud involves third-party examiners who are hired by states. These examiners are responsible for driver testing but unscrupulous examiners, investigators claim, take cash in exchange for a passing grade. This system allows some drivers to literally buy licenses, even if they are unqualified to operate a truck. Worse, some states have very lax attitudes about licensing, and some are unable to help federal investigators by providing lists of licensed drivers.

According to the U.S. Transportation Department, incorrectly licensed truck drivers are a major danger on the roads. These drivers are operating huge machines which can cause multiple fatalities and serious personal injuries in car collisions, rollovers, and other types of accidents. Unlicensed drivers who have not had adequate testing and training may make more mistakes than correctly prepared drivers, increasing the risk of accidents.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is the agency charged with overseeing trucking safety. The agency contacts drivers it believes have not been correctly tested and requests retesting. However, the agency does not believe it has the jurisdiction to remove these drivers from the road in the event that they are shown to be unqualified. The Transportation Department's Office of Inspector General does believe that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has the right to remove unsafe drivers from the road. Confusion over the regulations may keep unsafe truck drivers on the roads, according to trucking experts.

In Florida, the Division of Driver Licenses relies heavily on third-party tested to provide truck driving tests, simply because the state cannot hire enough private testers to meet demands for testing. In the late 1990s, after a truck driver licensing scam in Illinois, Florida was forced to examine its use of third-party testers when it was revealed that a Tampa school was offering licenses for cash, almost without testing. Many of the drivers being licensed to drive through the school were not even Florida residents. Although Florida has aimed to tighten regulations since then, most experts agree that the state cannot stop licensing fraud. Third-party testers are hard to regulate closely due to their sheer numbers.

Trucks from the US cause thousands of deaths and serious personal injuries in trucking accidents each year. However, not all trucks on US roads are from the US. Trucks from foreign countries are also allowed on US roads as they deliver products from other countries into the US. This has caused some controversy and has raised a number of questions about safety.

A program under the Bush administration in 2008 permitted 100 Mexican trucking companies to operate their semi trucks on US roads. Some experts in the trucking industry claimed that this move may possibly risk the rate of truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, and car accidents involving trucks on US roads. Although the Bush administration eventually stopped the program, the Obama administration spoke of reviving the program.

Currently, all US trucking companies must meet very strict safety regulations. These companies must also keep strict records so that in the event that an accident does occur, investigators have access to all the information they need. However, Mexico has different regulations. In fact, trucking experts note that in that country there is no record-keeping system to keep track of trucks, drivers, and accidents. Regulations are also more relaxed than in the US, some trucking industry experts claim.

This has many people worried that allowing foreign trucking companies to operate on US roads will lead to increased numbers of trucking accidents. It is also unclear how programs such as these will involve legal jurisdiction in the event of an accident. If a foreign-owned trucking company causes a trucking accident on US roads, will victims suffering from brain injuries and other serious injuries have recourse to the justice system to collect legal help to help them heal from their injuries? If other countries have different safety standards, can truckers from other countries be held liable for not following US safety standards? If no records are kept by some foreign companies, will this hamper investigators in determining the causes of accidents?

Many trucking experts also note that regulating and testing trucks from non-US trucking companies will be difficult. Currently, despite strict federal rules, there are still unfortunately many unsafe US trucks on the roads. Regulators have a hard time keeping up with domestic trucking companies who bend the rules. Experts warn that there might not be enough resources – and not enough legal power – to test and investigate non-US trucking companies as well.

However, currently most trucking accidents caused on US roads involve US truck companies and truck drivers. The debate as to this will change with the introduction of non-US trucking companies continues.