Sharing the road: Some common sense on regulations to reduce crashes

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highway roadThe following bit of “common sense” came in from independent owner-operator Pete Zimmer of Las Vegas, Nev.

If the federal government would take the information that has been compiled from various departments and other sources, and then apply it to safety, lives could be saved without creating unnecessary new regulations and new costs for the trucking industry and consumers.

The Department of Transportation reports there are roughly 500,000 truck accidents (truck = more than 10,000 lbs.) per year with 5,000 fatalities; 98 percent of the fatalities are in the passenger vehicles.

The American Trucking Associations reports as many as 80 percent of car/truck accidents are caused by the car drivers.

The National Safety Council reports 1.4 million crashes per year among all drivers involve cell phone use. This does not include texting, which is widely used.

Put the safety where needed. Educate auto drivers. Increase fines to make an impact. Put regulations where the biggest problems lie. Make fines equal for all. We are all on the same highways.

According to the statistics, we truckers are the ones in danger. Be careful! –Pete Zimmer, Las Vegas, Nev.

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