Big trucks travel our nation's roadways by the millions. Even though they only account for less than four percent of registered vehicles, commercial trucks were associated with nearly 341,000 traffic accidents and responsible for about $48 billion in damages in 2009. While federal programs have focused on truck safety and education, the state of Alabama has taken drastic action over the past several years to make its roads are safer.
In 2005, Alabama had earned the name of "Hammer State" from truckers, who ignored speed limits and other safety regulations. During that time, commercial truck accidents in Alabama occurred an average of ten times per day on the state's highways, and resulted in countless injuries.
With limited resources and few inspectors, the Cotton State fared poorly in federal rankings. At the time, Alabama ranked 48th in the nation for its low inspection rate, 8th for high truck accident rates, and 2nd for high truck accident fatality rates. The Alabama Department of Public Safety recognized the problem and made a paradigm shift in its operations.
Alabama's Efforts to Improve Road Safety
Today, the Alabama Department of Public Safety performs roughly 5,000 tractor trailer inspections every month to make sure the trucks on the roadways are safe. The troopers now check for tires that are worn, under inflated, and over inflated. They also check for cracked rims and missing or loose fasteners. The department's goal is to reduce the risk of big trucks being involved in accidents.
Many truck accidents are linked to operator behavior, but a large number are related to mechanical defects. Tire and brake issues are two of the main mechanical defects that contribute to truck crashes.
According to the Alabama Trucking Association (ATA), truckers and trucking companies are also doing their part. According to the ATA, only a handful of carriers face inspection violations out of the more than 500 member trucking companies.
Alabama's efforts to make roads safer even extend to motorists. For instance, Alabama State Troopers have recently begun a program that targets motorists who drive aggressively around big rigs.
Thanks to efforts from a variety of organizations, Alabama's roads are now some of the safest in the nation.
