The Missouri Highway Patrol has good news for motorists- More big rigs seem to be adhering to safety regulations. Hopefully, this results in fewer Missouri truck accidents and safer highways for all drivers. Although the number of truck inspections last year increased by over 30 percent compared to 2010, violations only rose a mere three percent.
What is behind this encouraging trend of safer semis? A captain from the Missouri Highway Patrol gave credit to information about trucking companies being available on the internet. He told KMOX that, “Other companies and people who use those companies to transport their products can get on there and look and see what their safety record is. See how many inspections their company had and how their vehicles have done.”
In 2011 troopers inspected 84,497 trucks compared to 63,190 in 2010. Despite the significant increase in inspections, the amount of violations only increased about three percent. Missouri troopers issued 186,806 in 2011 and 181,623 violations in 2010. Later in the year the patrol will release statistics on the number of 18-wheelers involved in fatal and non-fatal accidents.
Violations can be issued for a variety of issues including problems with lights, tires or brakes. A violation may also be issued for problems with paperwork, like driver logs not meeting appropriate standards.
Drivers of passenger cars can also work to prevent truck accidents. Steps motorists can take include making sure they give big rigs enough room to maneuver and being conscious about avoiding trucks’ blind spots.
Source: CBS/KMOX, “Internet Credited With Improving Big Rig Safety,” Brian Kelly, Mar. 5, 2012
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