Unsecured loads are the focus of annual road safety blitz
Road debris may seem like an environmental issue alone. However, objects that litter highways in northern Georgia and along the I-75 corridor may act as reminders of a potential road hazard. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety says that between 2011 and 2014 more than 200,000 motor vehicle accidents were tied to items falling off trucks or other vehicles, according to Science Daily. Unsecured loads are a common cause of truck accidents.
Debris falling from trucks is a serious road safety issue
People may envision an unsecured load shifting in traffic, causing instability and the loss of control of a big rig. However, unsecured loads can also allow items to be launched from a truck bed, creating a projectile that can crash through the windshield of another vehicle. Slightly more than one-third of accidents involving objects falling off a truck involve a driver getting in a wreck while swerving in an attempt to avoid being struck by falling objects.
The danger of unsecured loads is well-known among lawyers who have experience litigating truck accident cases. The issue is also on the radar among regulatory agencies and road safety organizations. Each year, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance backs the International Roadcheck inspection program.
Truck safety inspectors seek to raise awareness about unsecured loads
This year, safety inspectors will saturate the nation’s roadways in a road safety blitz aimed at finding violations related to unsecured loads. The road safety inspection effort is slated to run from June 6 through June 8. It is important to note that load securement inspections are not new. The process is a natural part of routine Level I inspections, according to the CVSA.
The alliance says that during the safety blitz, roughly 15 trucks and buses on the road will face inspections every minute during the 72-hour road safety and awareness campaign. The alliance says that last year, roughly 21.5 percent of the trucks that were inspected were pulled from service due to a variety of violations. Inspectors pulled more than 9,000 trucks from the road. More than 1,400 truck drivers were pulled out if service in last year’s campaign. While the inspection spree lasts only three days each year, the annual effort highlights how many violations may occur every day.