Updated on: 11/13/2019
Most meteorologists claim that Seattle’s infamous “Juneuary” season is coming to an end relatively soon. And as summer sweeps through Seattle, it doesn’t take a meteorologist to predict what will happen next: road trips. Lots of long, summertime road trips.
Unfortunately, American roadways are actually quite perilous places, especially when driver distraction becomes a factor. For reference, there were over 99,000 vehicle accidents in Washington State in 2012; The Transport Research Laboratory’s study on texting showed the thumb-heavy activity impaired driving more than alcohol consumption, on top of the troubling fact that 75% of teenagers admit to texting while driving.
The repercussions spread even further from there. The US Department of Transportation released a study just this June analyzing the carnage from an economic perspective and concluded the country’s car accidents ripped $900 away from each of approximately 313 million Americans each year. In total, the NHTSA says that economic loss and societal harm from car accidents totaled approximately $871 billion in 2010.
The lightning rod for a significant percentage of fatal car accidents is tractor-trailers hauling multiple cars, or as they’re officially known, Longer Combination Vehicles (LCVs). Many cargo lobbyists claim that these vehicles are safer but that’s a claim made without context. According to many safety advocates, these lobbyists must be using their LCVs to haul fruit because they are cherry-picking a lot of their facts.
Why LCVs Present a Danger to Regular Motorists
First, these LCVs are not permitted to haul cargo in most states. Washington allows a type of Longer Combination Vehicle called a “Rocky Mountain Double,” which has a trailer of 48 feet followed by a tag-along of 28 feet. The states they are allowed in have histories of trucking transportation and, along with that, entrenched partisans.
Second, LCVs haul more freight. More material means more weight, and more weight on the roadway means LCVs are hauling more risk. Weight directly influences and inhibits a vehicle’s maneuverability, braking capacity, and general ability to interact with other cars on the road. In moderate traffic LCVs are far more likely to cause fatal collisions than their single trailer counterparts.
The general public intuits this. When surveyed drivers explain that the presence of LCVs unnerves them. The mere presence of LCVs on the road elicits anxiety and anxiety causes distraction. Distraction leads to accidents. Be aware of the vehicles you travel with.
Contact Davis Law Group if one of these LCVs was a contributing factor in an auto accident in which you were injured. We have dedicated our practice in helping victims whose lives have been affected by the general irresponsibility and negligence of others. We’ll allow you to rebuild your world and get your life back on track while we deal with those responsible for your damages and losses.