The state of North Carolina ranks sixth nationwide for commercial trucking-related accidents. Well over half of the inspected trucks on the state’s roads have demonstrated some sort of safety violation, be it driver log errors, incomplete maintenance records, improper load distribution, insufficient warning lights or simply being over-weight. In fact, some trucks are in such poor shape that they've been parked.
The issue of truck accidents in North Carolina is not a new one, and poorly maintained vehicles remain a significant threat to drivers in the state. Truck drivers are already more likely to be involved in an accident because of the amount of time they spend on the road, and when you combine that with the overwhelming size and weight of their vehicles, the probability for injury-causing accidents is even greater.
What Can Be Done?
The high incidence of safety violations certainly affects the trucking accident rates, so local officers and state troopers throughout North Carolina are doing what they can to keep motorists safe on the road. In an interview with ABC news, North Carolina Highway Patrol (NCHP) spokesman, trooper Travis Ingold, revealed that there are simply too few troopers with the qualifications necessary to properly conduct commercial vehicle inspections. Unfortunately, this means that many trucks with safety violations could remain on the road indefinitely.
Ingold is adamant that the NCHP is working to certify more officers and keep weigh stations open longer, allowing more inspections to be conducted. Unlike many other states (which keep weigh stations open full-time), North Carolina’s weigh stations are only open only five days per week, for an average of 16 hours per day.
The high percentage of commercial trucking accidents on North Carolina roads will likely not lower unless safety standards are met and enforced more stringently. While trucking companies have a duty to regularly review their drivers’ log books and perform any necessary maintenance on their vehicles, something more might need to be done to ensure that unsafe trucks are not allowed on the road.
Anyone who has been involved in an accident with a semi truck, big rig, 18-wheeler, 16-wheeler, delivery van or other commercial vehicle should know that there are options available. Wrongful death and personal injury claims are brought in North Carolina courts and elsewhere nationwide when someone is injured or killed in a trucking accident, but it is important to seek the services of a qualified attorney in order to fully protect your rights.
