Blog

New braking rules will save lives…but when?

11/03/2009

For years, truck safety advocates have known that substandard brakes on large trucks have allowed unsafe vehicles to plague our nation's highways. (One real-world test in Arkansas showed that as many as one in three semi-trucks had failing brake systems.)

What is the most dangerous thing a truck driver can do?

07/31/2009

When it comes to assessing risk, we should ask ourselves, "What is the most dangerous thing a semi-truck driver can do?"

For many, such answers as "speeding", "driving while too tired", or "making reckless lane changes" come to mind. For sure, these are extremely dangerous, especially when we consider that too many trucking companies push their drivers to "make time" or turn a blind eye to excessive and dangerous overtime driving.

A National Drug-Testing Database?

06/02/2009

Congratulations to U.S. Senator Mark Pryor (D-Arkansas) for submitting a bill to Congress to create a national drug-testing database. For professional truck drivers who fail a drug or alcohol test, the results will be posted on a national database and used as a reference for all trucking companies seeking to hire someone.

And congratulations to the trucking industry trade association for supporting Pryor's bill. Why does it take an act of Congress for trucking companies to share this vital public safety information or to take pro-active steps to make our roads safer?

One Third of Trucks Unsafe?

04/28/2009

On April 27th a story ran out of Arkansas about how the Arkansas Highway Police are using a new technology to detect faulty brakes on "big rigs". The technology employs infrared scanners that can detect whether or not a semi-truck's brakes are working. While we commend Arkansas law enforcement for their innovative efforts to keep roads safer, one has to wonder why the trucking companies themselves aren't doing more to ensure that the trucks they put on the road are properly and safely maintained.