I’m a truck driver and the biggest issue I see out here is that everyone on the road feels that their time is more valuable than yours. They will do the dumbest things just to save a few seconds on their commute. I see it every day with people in their personal vehicles and commercial trucks as well. No one has patience anymore and will gladly endanger themselves and others for stupid reasons.
Agreed 110% no body leaves enough time, who cares if your a little late, better than killing someone. People need to look ahead and anticipate danger like we do, i feel like i know what a 4 wheeler(car) is gonna do before he even knows just by watching his behavior, people do not see driving as the #1 priority when they are on the road
I agree, but I hope you're not saying we don't need to fix the underride problem because people are dumb and irresponsible drivers. People are dumb and irresponsible, therefore the need for safer trailers.
That's exactly right. And there's even some truck drivers that are guilty of that too. No one is innocent. It's a disease in this country anymore that everyone is in such a hurry and it's true to shave a few seconds off. If your commute people will weave in and out of traffic and cut people off and it's absolutely ridiculous.
That's just one sided opinion. I've been a semi truck and yard jockey driver. There are lots of passenger drivers who don't know the awareness of dangerous driving in the blindside of the tractor trailer is really stupid. There were many instances of semi tractor trailers tailgating me while I was driving in my passenger car so be honest with yourself on these important matters.
Don't drive commercially. But as a car driver, I always keep a distance from a big rig whenever possible. Both for my safety, and the truck drivers piece of mind. Just be aware if your on the road with large vehicles, they will not be able to stop/go/turn etc. as fast as you.
You can drive around them safely. Yet many drivers assume right of way as they are larger and on the road for more hours. E-log lateness also make them drive faster if they are behind schedule. I have seen trucks doing 90+mph as they are obviously past their route or trying to make it back to their yard.
I drove trucks for 6 years and decided to leave the industry. I will never get rid of my cdl but as far as driving trucks is concerned, I am done. Too many dumbasses on the road. From 4 wheelers, to other truckers to DOT to shipper/receivers, disgusting food at these truck stops, constant road construction, weather and most importantly inconsistent pay. Watching documentaries like this solidifies my decision on leaving the industry.
It seems like good drivers are a rarity these days. Small vehicle drivers and truckers. Both drive like they own the road. Better enforcement is desperately needed but no one seems to care.
Jesus Christ, that story about Riley, about "the day the Earth tilted," ripped my heart out. We lost a daughter in an auto accident and I remember the state police car pulling into our driveway and I knew - I KNEW! - that our daughter had died. And, for the most part, so did we.
As a truck driver this goes out to all citizen drivers. That space between the tractor-trailer is not for you to squeeze in. Its for safe brake distance. You will get crushed,you can and will loose your life. Also,if you are running late speeding and endangering yourself and everyone else on the road is not worth it.
Before getting your drivers license, it should be mandatory to take a class on how to drive around commercial vehicles and the dangers that come with it from being reckless around them. I don’t drive a truck, but I have a huge respect for those guys and girls. They keep America moving and the economy.
I agree with this whole-heartedly. I have never driven a truck but I understand basic physics, understand the huge differences in driving a fully loaded 53' semi vs my Subaru, and understand what truckers go through, especially in traffic in cities.
@@DKanielreith so many drivers are so ignorant when it comes to size and physics of vehicles or are just stupid drivers who don't care about anyone else news flash: car vs semi, the semi will ALWAYS win
@@tomtemple69 Exactly. My wife is foreign and scared to death of semi trucks but I reassure her if she’s alert you can almost always trust the driver is alert and just make your way around them. Never inadvertently brake hard in front of them, etc and you will be fine
@@DKanielreith i've never had issues with semi trucks because i've driven one before and realize how much room they need to stop and how hard it is to manuever something so huge plus im not an a-hole driver
I am a truck driver and I agree completely with your statement. I drive 6 nights a week and every night I have to deal with drivers who drive next to me. One tire blow out is all it takes for a horrible accident to occur that can be completely avoided if they just pass me and don't slow down and sit next to me. Most times I have to slow down just to get them away from me. But as shown in this documentary, some of these accidents are a result of the truck driver. This is because DOT has made it easier for inexperienced drivers to get a CDL. This job is not as simple as driving a vehicle. Proper attitude and patience should be REQUIRED for this job.
There are Mandates for so many stupid things in this country but when an actual mandate would make a huge difference, they just can’t manage to do it in Washington
When ever I come across a semi on the highway, I either stay way, way back and if I anticipate a blind spot coming my way, I either drop back behind the truck or smartly accelerate to get out ahead so the trucker can see me. I treat semi trucks like instant death if I don't give them a wide berth. And yes, truckers' skills on the highway have worsened over the past 45 years.
@@ey67Well, they should find another job then and NOT drive trucks. Like hey, I get treated like crap and get ran the hell out of but let me keep working for this person or company, makes a lot of sense right?!
As an Owner Operator for the last 30+ years, I have (on a daily basis) saved car drivers from going under my trailer by watching their actions as the merge onto the highway. Before cell phones it wasn't as bad (food, makeup, cigarettes), but since everyone now has a computer in their hand, the amount of car drivers who are merging distracted is massive.
I know what you mean, I'm just a driver, but I see idiots, digging in their smartphones,on the road every day. All modern cars,loaded with all kinds of electronics junk, and missing one vital improvement - smartphone blocker.
For Sure cell phones have accidents deaths have increased by UNDERRIDE ... Certainly due Inadequate Manufacturing & Operations of Tractors on the Highways... they shouldn't be allowed together on small roads...😢
Yes Good points, thank you. Accordingly, most every car, suv, mini-van, light pickup truck model in recent two decades increasingly are built with GPS/ Computer monitors/ Mobile phone interface/ TV screen/ Back-up camera, interactive screen on dashboard, telematics, = distractions galore. They are besides, entertainment, loud sounds/ music, on-board voice announcements to car driver, lane-drift warnings, etc, etc thus whether captivating, entertaining, distracting driver by information overload. Roads have become saturated with all sorts of traffic signs especially evident are suburban and more intensely saturated with signs urban /city roads. The high-tech, gov ministries, marketing, msm, and car manufacturers are pushing self-parking, self-correcting, self-driving cars, 'safety features'. Those are double edge broad swords enticing overreliance on computerisation whilst increasing obliviousness, recklessness, etc = bad net results. Most every suburban, urban /city are on delusional political agendas under slogans/ titles i.e., ''Safe Streets'', ''Healthy Streets', ''Vision Zero'' by building bulging curbs flanking roadways, choke lanes, etc, etc. * (Have see bulged out cubs, curb offsets, and the like to easily notice, chipped curbs, dark/ black scuff marks on curbing; the black scuff marks are from car tyre sidewalls. Tyre side walls are easily stressed / pinched by scuffing curbs reducing performance and durability of tyre, increasing peril of tyre failure, raising risk of driver losing control of car.) * Thus minimising visibility by confusion, signs, eliminating space to avoid drivers and pedestrians making mistakes all to defeat 'Safety'.
Yes. I agree. There are some crappy drivers out there. But I was minding my business in the right lane when the truck just glided over into me. He said I was in his blind spot. The driver didn't even stop for 10 minutes. Cars had to flag him down. My point is that drivers of big rigs have their problems, too. I once had a big rig driver chase me down the highway for fun! It wasn't fun for me. I was in the right lane going the speed limit, and I thought the guy must have wanted me to speed up or move so he could get off the next exit. No, he got right behind me again, so I got back in the right lane. This was on a weekend so traffic was very light where I lived. He got right on my bumper and stayed there. He seemed delighted that he was scaring me, especially since I was in a small car. Truck drivers also deal with being too tired, not very good training before they're put out on the road, and meth abuse. My older brother used to drive a truck cross country, so he told me a lot of dirty little secrets. Not saying every trucker is like that . But it is widespread.
Driver training is KEY. I spent 12yrs with a CDL and 6yrs as a Smith System trainer. Spend the extra money to get your kids properly trained (it could save their life). As a pro, I spend as little time next to semis as possible. I either stay back, or RACE past them (the right pedal is your friend if used properly). I see people all the time just lingering next to big trucks. You do that at your own peril 💯
that alwasy pisses me off when people pace me like that when im loaded. and it is unfortunately always women or old asian men who like to camp out next to me. and this is an observation ive made.
No, its not the "key". It's a good starting point. 81% of truck/car crashes are determined to be the cars fault. But, having driven for 18 years, I can say that we have too many inexperienced and reckless drivers in our industry. Don't beleive me, turn on your CB and listen to all of the truck drivers cursing other truck drivers. It's a puzzle, and it's going to take MANY PIECES to solve it. One of those pieces does need to be safer equipment. We didn't say, "we need to teach drivers to stop rear ending other drivers to solve the gas tanks catching fire in the Ford Pinto. We said, Ford must make it safer by moving it.
@@jamesrice4072 Driver training is absolutely key. You can wait for the world to change if you'd like; I'm the type of parent who made sure my kids knew how dangerous the world is and equipped them to navigate accordingly 💯
So very true! My brother , who dove big trucks, said they had to basically train themselves. They get a few hours training on something, they do it once or twice, and you're passed to the next thing. Plus, many, many turn into meth users.
Excellent presentation. As a retired Sheriff's Deputy & Sergeant of 28+ years I saw a number of traffic deaths resulting from rear crashes into semi trailers & one from a side 'under-ride'. They were all of the most gruesome crashes I have ever witnessed. I was glad to hear of the relatively recent legislation for mandated improved rear trailer collision guards. These are most commonly put to use when motorists are following but not completely aware of a semi-trailer slowdown for any variety of reason, the motorist then slamming into the trailer. I find it interesting that so many enclosed semi trailers have the large panel beneath their trailers for the purposes of controlling air turbulence to increase fuel economy. Seems to me the same structure could accommodate a side guard.
As a former 48 state truck driver, these side guards would really help. This has always been a problem. In ice and snow conditions cars are more likely to slide under your trailer, or the trailer more likely to slide over cars. Many trucks have wind guards under the trailers to improve mileage and these occupy the same space as the side guards, so we can already show the space is available.
Side skirts on trucks do save fuel but they also get ripped off and damaged easily. Have you not taken a look at the side skirts on a trailer? They're designed to bend and flex. And they still get ripped off. What do you think will happen with side guards? Would you like to be late for work when trucks get high centered and stuck at every intersection??? Would you like ice balls flying through your windshield in the snow? Side guards will collect ice chunks that weigh the truck down even more.
Terrible idea. Those guards would need to be rigid you would have trailers hung up on railroad crossings and curbs. Those side skirts flex and almost everyone you see is damaged.
I retired from an airline and recently decided to go back to work driving a truck. There’s absolutely no reason to run this business the way we do. There are companies that are allowed to operate that every single person in the business knows are unsafe. I could literally write a book and I’ve been driving for less than a year.
You haven't been driving long enough to speak on that. Once you hit two million miles then you can speak on it. In two million miles I've watched the amount of traffic on the roads triple. I've watched the amount of reckless drivers on the road quadruple! The trucks are not the problem it's the shitty reckless car drivers that are the problem!
I'm a police Officer with 23 years of experience. One of the big problems with the reporting of under or over ride is that many Officers don't list it on the accident report. They would just list it as a side collision or rear collision and not mention the over or under ride.
that is simply due to lack of training, Officer. There's no possible way you'd ever guess what to be specific on if the industry and regulation officials don't care to explain.
@@AirJockey100 Humans are fallible, we all make mistakes. We CAN do better as a society a be better drivers, but we can also engineer our way to a safer society.
'Stay away from the big trucks, son'. My father is a million mile truck driver who worked for the big haulers like CF and Yellow for over 30 years. One of the best pieces of advice he gave me about how to stay safe out on the highway especially on long road trips - where you're in the trucker's world. I do that even in my daily commutes. I stay back from them when following, don't ride along side them any longer than necessary, pass them quickly, give them lots of forward space when merging in front of them and am patient when I'm behind them as they leave from a stop. You should too. Some accidents we have no control over and these mechanical safety devices they're talking about here are a good idea but remember how much control you have to stay safer on the road around trucks. Be aware of them and be very careful around them - stay away from the big trucks.
Agreed. At work I drive a bigger vehicle that wouldn't be subject to side or rear underride, but I still try to employ these rules just as an example for other drivers if nothing else, but also because in my personal vehicle I could easily be decapitated if I were to slide under a truck because I drive a small sedan, and so I try to pass two lanes away where possible, follow at about 100 feet and if I'm still gaining i'm just gonna get over, twice if possible, pass quickly, and give at least 50-100 feet before I merge in front of a truck even if i'm not planning on slowing at all. I've seen the results of many of these crashes, i've read books from insurance adjusters who've seen the results of these accidents, and I'm trying not to go out that way, although it likely wouldn't be the worst way to go cause you'd likely go instantly...but I'm not trying to go before I need to.
Watched some idiot pull up to the right side of a truck as it was making a right turn. He had his right signal on, moved to the left slightly to make space between the trailer and curb, and began his right turn at the same time a Dodge Dakota pulled up to him. That trailer moved that Dakota onto the curb like it was a paper cup.
Think of the truck as 30,000 lbs of steel machinery with God knows who at the controls. It makes sense to limit the amount of time you are near this machinery moving 70mph to the greatest extent possible at all times
Watching car crash videos is a guilty pleasure, but it has also made me more diligent and patient. It has also made me very aware of a trucker's blind spots. Those mirrors on the front help, but they can't fix this issue. It is up to the rest of us to give a respectable distance to truckers and not to linger where they can't see us.
As a diesel mechanic I've been around trucks and trailers all my life. The fact of the matter is people drive too fast they have no fear or consideration of the size and weight of the truck in front or around them and they just don't give a damn. Furthermore when youths died from trucks crashes it's no hidden secret that youth today think they're invisible and it can't happen to them. Don't blame the trucks and the truck drivers for the actions of people in four wheels
I'm European truck driver with 17 years experience behind the steering wheel. I think that trailers should be much better secured against such accidents. I was involved myself in a accident just like that. A car driven by a 19 years old drunk driver with 3 more passengers crashed in to the end of the trailer of my truck. The car was not behind me traveling in my direction. It came laterally. The direction of movement of the car was perpendicular to mine. The car crashed in and entered absolutely all right between the last axle and the safety iron bumper of the trailer. Because of that the driver and the front passenger were beheaded. Both passengers seating at the back seats survived. This happened 5 years ago and I still have nightmares because of the accident.
@@bishop51807 Yes EU does that. But in the accident I was involved in, the car crushed in the end of the trailer from the left side. And because on the EU trailers the 2 spare tires are installed there, there is no side bumper in this place. 1.5 metres
They might be able to make trailers safer, but people really need to stop driving drunk. You could be pulling no trailer like I was one day in 2001 when a drunk hit me.
@@Bulgarian_Jedi Miro, that just goes to show that no matter how one tries to make something fool proof some fool will hurt or kill themselves anyway. I've driven all over the USA and the vast majority of truck drivers are very courteous and safe. Virtually all of the dangerous and discourteous things I see on the road are by those driving cars. One big problem is that, incredibly to my way of thinking, many people driving cars don't understand that something which weighs 80,000 pounds doesn't slow down as quickly as a car weighing 2,000 pounds does.
@@restorator7 Yes of course. That too. And every single driver operating no matter what kind of vehicle need to know that he is not the only one on that road. There's others. Front from back to side from everywhere. And they can also be just as stupid and presumptuous as he is.
I always knew our trailers had underride risks but it really hit me when I went to Europe a few years ago. NONE of their trailers have any sort of gaps that could fit a car and the guards are very robust. That's how it should be here.
It's odd that you mention the European trucks, as I've been to Europe and also look at a lot of videos where at least occasionally European trucks appear. Some have side panels, but from what I've seen it is a minority. In addition the side panels I've seen look more cosmetic and aerodynamic than structural. If Europe imposes side guards, wouldn't you think that the advocates for them here would have mentioned it? I'd think it would be too obvious not to.
False. I've also been all over Europe. Trucks have the same gap. It's even more dangerous there as the roads are far more narrow and traffic is worse. Especially in Paris.
I have been driving a truck since 1995 after i left the Army. While all of this is good, it may or may not solve the issue. Andy Young could also stand in front of pictures and say; "speeding, texting, putting on make-up, not paying attention, driving impaired/intoxicated, veered from their lane, brake checked truck, cut-off truck to exit, ran red light, ran stop sign, suspended license, no license." The number of reasons are counless. People don't walk up to a pit-bull and punch it in the mouth, but they will act like their s**t doesn't stink around a semi truck, and that is a far bigger problem. Society has a problem with entitlement, and it shows on the road. I experience it maybe 100 times a day. Everybody has the opinion that they are a "good person" until they get behind the wheel. They then proceed to act like an absolute meat-popcicle with disregard for speed-limits, traffic laws, or common courtesy. Police do not inforce much of anything anymore, because they don't want to lose their job over some Karen turning a violation into a world-wide RUclips sensation. People; activists, lawyers, and politicians, always come up with some idea that "only costs $$$ per commercial vehicle" and do not realize the compounding cost of these measures. I am not saying safety is not important. I am saying you could make a truck as safe as a cotton ball, and people will still find a way to kill themselves around it. As for the quality of the driver behind the wheel of the semi, that's a sad story itself. Rules and regulations, plus the astronomical cost of operating a truck has run off 80% of the good ones. Think i am exaggerating? Go and try to buy a new truck and trailer. Permit it; insure it, license it, fuel it, maintain it, pay every tax and toll fee known to man on it. Plus, all of the hidden gems that suck profit and see if trucking is something you would like to stick with. All of the same costs are applicable to trucking companies as well, so they hire anyone they can get their hands on to fill a seat and stay in business. Therefore, you have so many "drivers" that have no business being behind the wheel of a semi. They aren't good drivers and never will be. People claim this is an easy job and that anyone can do it with training. That's total bull****. You have to be scientifically minded and an excellent planner. You need knowledge of angles/geometry; inertia, friction, traction, weight distribution, etc. Plus, and most importantly, you need self-control. I have said a lot here. People may or may not agree with everything. The essence of what i am trying to convey is that we can continue to place all of the blame and onus on the truck because of its size. But until the rest of society grows up and acts with some fraction of integrity and professionalism they expect from the truck driver, the problem will only get worse.
Totally agree. I think DOT needs to educate 4-wheelers on how to operate around Big Rigs. In Texas we gotta take a Special Requirements test that's extra for getting a CDL, but the 4-wheeler doesn't. I kind of wish Quintin Tarantino would make a Death Proof volume Two: Trucker Edition movie, it'd do what JAWS did for swimmers at the Beach, Fear of the big trucks, and hopefully a little respect.
It's crazy you list all the truth about the unknowns of being a truck operator and no one every thinks of that stuff. Or the list you have to do when running a business with these commercial business trucks. The list is to much to write it all down. I do feel for the families of these lost loved ones and why they want to make the trucking regulations they are asking for. But in reality it's expensive to maintain these safety devices. In this documentary, they didn't talk nor show how expensive it be to replace the safety devices when they where damage in course of an after accident. Like the part where they showed that controlled crash test from the side impact on the trailer. Ya it would probably saved lives but the aftermath of the trailer is what I'm talking about. First the trailer was empty. Let's do a test with the actual weight that would be in real life in that trailer. Then, after the test Let's get a insurance claim adjuster to look at the overall condition of the trailer. Can it still be used on the road safely after the accident. Can it still safely carry the load that is in the trailer during the accident, or does it need to off loaded and put on another trailer to make it's scheduled delivery. See more things people don't think bout when speaking about this matter. Most likely that insurance claim adjuster would deem that trailer inoperable and unsafe for use afterwards. Saying this, that would amount to lots of trailers being lost not to even explain the amount of money during the accident and after the accident these companies will be losing. It's crazy to think all the distracted drivers who causes these accidents want to put blame on the truckers and Commercial companies instead of they wrong doings on the roads. I think it's cuz they know these commercials companies have money and they can win big prizes from them if they can convince other's that they weren't at fault for the accident. Just my opinion and thoughts.
I am a long hauler. PUT YOUR DAMN PHONES DOWN. I see you all , four wheeler drivers . It is absolutely scary . 90% of you are on the phones. Another point I would like to make is, it should be MANDATORY for every person willing to get a driver’s license , to HAVE to be a passenger in a 18 wheeler. Get educated. The interstate system was intended for commercial use initially. We are here WORKING so you, consumers , get it all in your store shelves. I am sorry, we are not all perfect professional drivers,but, most of us ARE!!!!
Bahaha, educating ?... it's full of left leaning propaganda and you may not even know. Look up at the "foundations" who bring you such programs? Who do you think they vote for? Noagenda podcast, your welcome ITM
My Grandfather who survived the brutal fighting in the South Pacific against Japan in World War II 1942-1945, was killed on his motorcycle in 1985 when the Semi Truck driver suddenly changed lanes, over an overpass to get on I-64. The Truck was in the right lane, my grandfather was in the left, he had no where to go, he tried to lay the bike down, and the under ride side crash happened when the Motorcycle rolled under the semi truck…. It ran over him crushing him and the motorcycle, rolling over him breaking every bone in his body.
Tray, the post traumatic suffering you & Your loved ones must still suffer I am so so sorry for your horrific loss. Those (any), who put $ ahead of lives, GOD WILL JUDGE. Father, please give Tray & his loved ones comfort from no other source than YOU. PLEASE TAKE THE STING Bring emotional healing & eternal spiritual life from his grandfathers death Thank You, LORD. In Jesus Name -Amen
Sorry for your loss. When I took a MSF course to get my motorcycle endorsement years ago. They taught me how to drive around trucks and properly react to the unexpected. While that may or may not have saved your grandpa's life. I highly recommend MSF and/or all the training you can get for any type of high risk endeavors....be it vroom vroom or bang bang... Or extreme ironing/rock climbing...etc.
As a motorcycle rider/infantry man - CHRIST MAN, save us the details. I already have a problem with the trucking industry. They seem to get to use our roads that we pay for in tax, to make their profit and do not have to contribute anything. Also, these are the people that made Rush Limbaugh famous. They are responsible for keeping many tens of tons from crashing into other vehicles and they are generally not the brightest of us.
@@jinimurray4090 Why do you structure your sentences in such a manner, it doesn't make sense. You clearly did it intentionally. Nobody cares what you think your god will do. We have laws and a justice system because most people are aware that your way of thinking is not a deterrent, a promise that your god will punish a wrong-doer is a joke. The laws made by man are much more powerful because they actually contribute to change. Any one person is stronger than your god and the laws you invent yourself. Go thump your buy-bull somewhere else, adults are talking.
I’ve been driving my truck for 6 months now and in those months, I’ve had countless cars cut infront of me to the point I have to slam on my breaks, even if I give myself more than enough stopping distance. It’s very bad in Atlanta,GA.
a big issue that NOBODY talks about is the lack of rest areas / overnight parking for trucks. Especially around the big cities where most deliveries are, if you stop after sunset, there is no parking left for big trucks while the parking area for regular cars is almost empty. it feels like a big middle finger given to truckers. it dosen't even have to be pawed, a dirt lot will do. But while there is money for intricate and spacious parks that nobody uses, there is none for dirt lots so truckers can rest, which IS a safety issue
The NIMBYs (not in my back yard) make it hard for most towns and cities to tolerate overnight truck parking. I'm lucky to work a dedicated account where our customer lets us park overnight so it's not a problem I deal with anymore but I'm well aware of what awaits me if I ever go back to national OTR
@Harry__Morgan Sadly The one Rest Area I needed in NC was closed for reasons unknown I guess to force truckers to go to the truck stops that had no place to park. Even the TA which I finally found didn't even have a sign showing it was there lucky I seen it last minutes 45 minutes from violation.
@Harry__Morgan There actually should be a few such remote parking spots for big trucks as part of the design. It could be safe. The entrance ramps are safer than exits because vehicles are accelerating from slow speeds. On exit ramps sleepy drivers operating at high speed can zero-in on taillights or reflectors and crash into trucks.
As a truck driver, I want our trucks and trailers to be as safe as possible, for everyone out there on the roads!! Justifying that this is too expensive, disappears when your child or family member dies from one of these crashes
If ya want change, you have to have forced regulations and laws. But the corporations, who bought and paid off the government officials see only profit and money. Your lives are meaningless to them, you are nonthing to the corporations of greed
@@scottsherman6889 That is false. They gave the number in the video - anything that costs more than 12 million per life saved will not likely get passed into law. Saying that: "One death is way too expensive!" is just emotional nonsense, in the real world, there is always a cost benefit analysis - and most people are just not that important. Not nice to say but that is the reality.
@@sirvilhelmofyonderland there’s always room for improvement and if you don’t think that the ICC bar couldn’t be improved or yhat side guards couldn’t help save people you have your head in the sand.
Wow, Rileys story is tragic. So sad. I'm a truck driver, well over a hundred thousand miles each year, the vast majority of accidents between trucks and smaller vehicles are caused by the smaller vehicles. The truck accidents get tons of press, because they're big and there's usually fatalities. There are trucks driving too fast as well, there are distracted truckers for sure, but cars are a bigger problem in my opinion. Every day, without fail, I'm cut off by a smaller vehicle, brake checked, I have cars literally pass me on the shoulder at freeway speeds to gain a second. I've had road rage incidents happen in front of me, and they don't pay attention to me at all. People pass me then immediately pull back in front of my truck, people coming onto freeways have no idea how to merge. They're driving too fast, they are driving distracted, they are on phones or watching movies on their laptops, they cut off everybody, then typically they're gone, after they've caused traffic behind them to slow or stop. Everybody is in a hurry to gain 5 minutes. Fixing trailers needs to happen immediately, but put some blame, and responsibility, and more enforcement, on the smaller vehicles!
@markw.2106 Statistics will back up your comment. Too many people can not take responsibility for their actions/ mistakes .. Not to mention that Respect is a thing of the past.
I don't get why people act the way they do. I always go out of my way to help out truckers. I'm just travelling, but truckers are doing their job. Don't ever make it harder for someone who's just trying to do their job.
Just had a 22 year old, Evan Dennison, who graduated two months ago, killed after hitting the back of a tractor trailer. Thoughts and prayers for Evan and his family and friends. He was a drum major in the UVA marching band.
This happening everyday everywhere. When a semi is stopped, it’s a huge hazard. A stationary steel building now randomly placed in or next to a high speed corridor. There needs to be better warning devices on the back of these trailers such as bright flashing lighting. The crash has to be prevented to save people.
@@HerlongianOr you know the person driving the car could pay attention to the road? I’ve been driving for 30 years and hundreds of thousands of miles and managed to not cause an accident. You have one job while driving-pay attention.
@@landkruiser1095 Glad to hear that. But all it takes is one mistake by someone else (say an incident like 15:50) and it's out of your hands. It doesn't matter how safe YOU are. It matters how safe everyone else around you is.
Having your close relative in an accident is the worst feeling ever. Last year my sister was involved in an accident. It was the darkest day of my life
@@christinecampbell7301 it’s called FAFO, look it up. Well over 90% of accidents including a motor vehicle and a tractor trailer is the fault of the individual in the motor vehicle. I don’t have a whole lot of sympathy for stupid drivers anymore after years of driving on the nations highways.
The number one problem is that at the end of the day, there is a CEO who wants all the money possible, regardless of the loss of lives; only if their friends/family and/or loved ones are killed in similar circumstances will they change their perspectives.
The CEO is merely a tool used to perform a goal for the company, chiefly increasing profits for shareholders. That's his function, just as the drivers, trucks, merchandise, roadways and regulatory enforcement are all tools. I'm not saying CEOs are blameless but "Them dern greedy CEOs sure are awful, am I right?" doesn't help anything.
Not to say that greed isn't a big problem, but to me the number one problem is America's obsession with roads. Loading interstate freeways with goods vehicles is madness for many reasons. Of course you will always need some, but putting the goods on trains and taking the trucks off the roads will make it safer and greener.
I'm a "career coach" aka a trainer for a large US carrier. And I've failed the last 4 students I've had on my truck for unsafe driving. I'm 28 years old and the students getting on my truck are 21-25 years old and ADDICTED to their cell phones. I've taken videos of them using their phones while driving and have faced immense pressure from my company to look the other way and ignore the dangerous behavior. I have refused and I'm afraid I'm about to be fired for not "playing ball" I was just bribed with a $2,000 bonus on my last paycheck as a "performance bonus" but told by my supervisor to please help the company out and "get these new drivers into there own truck" I'm done with this profession and sickened with the lack of regulation on a federal level. It's abhorrent and gross how easiky the politicians and corporations are willing to gamble with innocent life for profit. I am left feeling disallusioned and ashamed.
Sorry for your loss, but this garbage "reporting" is why we don't communicate. It's total propaganda, I drove for 20 years in a Semi. Everything they said is 100% skewed reporting. Sorry, it just isn't real.
@@jjoosneaphh What is not real? Maybe what's not real is you being a truck driver. Every comment from a real commercial driver says it's accurate, but you say 100% fake. Bet you just hate PBS because someone told you to.
I’m an instate trucker in Arizona, yes trailers could be configured differently for safety purposes. But the real problem is those pulling trailers or campers that are not subject to D.O.T. regulations and are very inexperienced at pulling heavy loads. I constantly have four wheelers pull out in front of me or pass me on the shoulder or pass me just to slow down in front of me, and of course the distracted driver unbelievably dangerous. Pay attention and always remain focused and utilize anticipation and discernment and keep a safe following distance.
@@frankmendez323 yerp! the human factor is sooo dangerous, i.e avg human intelligence & /or attentional mental systems abilities. I looong for automated driving for avg ppl.
thank u for this excellent point! THIS is the key issue in the american context, bar none! Compared to hazards of 18wheelers, there's no comparison statistically. So, states need to do far better at regulating and requiring education and/or insurance co's i guess could require it.
I've been driving a truck for 15 years and am approaching 2 million non-preventable accident free miles. I add that caveat because I've been involved in 3 accidents (and countless near misses) caused by the cars around me doing dumb s**t. The most recent one had a lady enter the highway I was on and immediately start merging left 4 lanes over before running into the side of my trailer. While looking over her RIGHT shoulder having a conversation with her passengers. Had she been maybe half a second faster she and her pax would've been dead under my trailer. Lucky for her she hit my wheels and destroyed them along with her shi**y car and lived to lie about it to the cops (and get arrested for reckless driving and DUI). And that's just 1 of the 3 wrecks I've been involved in... all with similar levels of dumbassery involved. The bottom line is you can't protect people from their own poor decisions and despite opinions to the contrary the majority of us ARE safe professional drivers trying to get from A to B safely.
100% correct. The biggest problem, the biggest danger by far is dumbazz car drivers. This program is mainly just a calculated, preemptive public relations show to sway public opinion for soon-to-be-approved, additional government regulations. It's very coordinated and timed as a PR move for Petey B. He's just another ambitious careerist politician.
Maybe so, but there are examples of truck drivers also not driving correctly in this video and the result is that innocent people who did nothing wrong are now dead and their families are grieving. There are bad drivers everywhere and with a car you can maneuver to avoid their stupidity. It's a bit more difficult to do with a monster of a truck with few safety features.
@Michilar few safety features? With all due respect you don't know what you're talking about. Maybe do some research instead of making assumptions. Start with Crash Mitigation Systems currently installed as standard equipment on commercial vehicles. You'd be surprised. And while you're at it, look at traffic violation rates and accident rates per million miles for cars versus the same for trucks and busses. Again the results might surprise you but not anyone even remotely involved in the trucking industry.
@@Michilar By far the real problem is moronic drivers of cars, not the truck drivers. This whole piece is not based on FACTS, not based on statistics, but rather based on MANIPULATION and FEAR. This is what careerist bureaucrats do to pass more legislation, more control. Secretary Petey-boy would do well to actually get the F out of the DC confirmation bias chamber and actually spend a day in a big truck in a big city.
This has nothing to do with this documentary. They're not claiming cars are never at fault. They're not blaming truckers. Theyre simply saying these changes to the trucks could save lives but the trucking industry as a whole wont make those changes because $$$$. Why so defensive about that?
This was always one of my biggest worries as a truck driver. Even with all of the mirrors and sensors new trucks have on them, there are still many blind spots and with the aggressiveness of some drivers out there, i was always worried about someone getting caught under my trailer. Some other BIG issues today is people (both truckers and cars) is impatience and most of all CELL PHONES. While OTR i would always see probably 9 out of 10 people driving with a phone in their hands. Glad i left the industry. Too stressful nowadays.
I’ve only watched a few minutes of this but, there is way too much distracted driving going on and people who don’t care about anyone else on the road but themselves!
Everyone is hauling ass on their phones cutting truckers off, tailgaiting, swerving lanes, thinking they're fast and the furious, but it's the truckers fault
One thing I hate more then people being on their phones on the road is those who are speeding and swerving on the road! Pisses me off when I see that. 😤
As a dispatcher at a trucking co for almost 10 years now this doc was extremely eye-opening and alarming to me. This is an issue I've never thought twice about up until now. Thank you for bringing attention to this matter. This makes me want to explore the issue further in hopes that I can help insure the safety of my drivers and the public as a whole.
@@coreybabcock2023 I know how stressful being on the road all day (plus all of the other details of the job) can be for my guys. I always tell them, I'm there to help them along the way throughout the day and to never ever hesitate to call me. Sure, I tell them where to go-but any bumps occur along the way, I'm ALWAYS there to assist. And many drivers have become like family to me over the years.
This documentary basically says that the problem is truck drivers and 4 wheelers are at no fault, the accident that started this whole documentary was the fault of the kid driving the car.
@@edmunger5595 i mean it is their fault for not pushing for increased safety just following orders and being complicit isnt an excuse. so many paid shills these days on the internet trying to twist the narrative. yes the majority of people speaking out against shit hardcore is usually a paid shill hired by one of the many many many front companies that get to claim they aint attached to the parent company but lobby or sway public opinion the same way commercials on tv used to do it.
Truck driver here ..please ..stay away from us as best as traffic allows ..do your best to get in front or to the rear of a moving truck and trailer ..so many things can cause potential deadly encounters .. ..I’m so sorry for Riley ..and other deaths ..that have occurred as a result of trucker and trailer encounters ..
I remember a documentary on this exact issue 35 years ago. Back then it was associated with an effort to require underride guard on the back of all trailers.
My uncle was a truck driver for 20ish years before he switched to working the dock. Soon as I started driving he taught me never EVER ride beside a semi. The tires can blow out and the driver won’t have a clue about it. I always give a wide berth to them, I’ll give way and let them in while in traffic. 90% of the time there doing the speed limit and know the road so I don’t mind to sit there and cruise with a few of them, if they start slowing down I know there’s a reason
And then there’s the 10% that drive 30mph faster than anyone else there’s nothing scarier than seeing a semi driving 90mph getting bigger in your rear view mirror.
Blowouts occur on ALL vehicles... you can't blame truck drivers & the trucking industry for mechanical failures... blowouts occur for myriad reasons, not just neglect, which is clearly what your implying. The fact is, ALL vehicles should create & maintain safe following distances & speeds with ALL other vehicles, not just big rigs. The sheer size disparity alone should be enough to inform better & safer driving habits among drivers of 4-wheel vehicles especially. Truck drivers are held to unrealistically high standards while drivers of non commercial passenger vehicles are under no such scrutiny. Therein lies the imbalance & bias. They're allowed to travel at higher speeds in dangerously close proximity to slower moving & much larger vehicles. And yet, think it's their right to do so without consequence. Sorry, but a staggeringly wide majority of accidents with semis & traffic fatalities in general are cause by drivers of 4-wheel vehicles themselves.
@@mwood1012 I agree 100% that blowouts happen with all vehicles and I’m not blaming or implying that it’s truck drivers/companies faults.. The point that my uncle who originally drilled it into my head is that (from his experience and his colleagues) if the back right tire blows out on the trailer there’s a good chance that the driver won’t realize that it happened because they can’t see it. On the rare occasion that I pass a truck I double/triple/quadruple check to make sure the driver sees me in his mirror and I will only pass on the left. And I know the unrealistic expectations that truck drivers are held to and that most accidents involving a semi is the fault of the 4-wheel vehicle driver. I’ll always trust a driver of a big rig 10000% more than some random joe in a car
@@TheSjuris most trucks are physically impossible to willingly go that fast. Most of the time if a truck is going 30mph faster than traffic then they are 1) fully loaded (often overweight as companies are willing to pay the fine than to send another truck) 2) coming down a hill (think mountains and interstates or 3) having massive and I mean MASSIVE mechanical problems. Coming down a mountain fully loaded they have no choice of how fast they go because of gravity and physics
I’m a professional driver, I was involved in a fatality accident when a woman blew a stop sign and pulled out right in front of me. It still pains me to this day even though I wasn’t at fault!
Statistically that's the normal at 70% plus that are caused by cars. It's senseless, distracted, incompetent and unsafe car drivers daily causing staggering accident rates
Let that shit go driver. She made her choice that day. Unfortunately she paid for that choice with her life. She did not value her life,cause if she did,she would have stopped. Let it go driver, let it go. It was not your fault.
This exact same incident happened to me one night in Arkansas. Luckily, I saw he was gonna run it and slowed the truck to a stop (small country road, nobody behind me) and I laid on the horn. He stopped in the middle of the road, scared to death. It was a small Arkansas town. It was the middle of the night and he was probably on the way to the store as we were headed to refuel ourselves. It shook me up so much, I wanted to quit right then and there, saying when I got to the terminal in Oklahoma City, I was done. Driving partner said 'thats stupid. It wasn't your fault he ran a stop sign.' The safety team reviewed the footage. 'Excellent job out there. You did everything right.' Yeah, but the realization that that would have killed him was something I couldn't stand. It kept me awake night after night. Replaying the moment in my mind and seeing it all over again. I eventually quit with my buddy agreeing to do the same. I still have the drive cam video. The fear of a crash scared me to no end. If one happened, and some horrible tragedy happened .. I wouldn't be able to ever live with that. I miss travel. The truck was even comfortable. I miss the sound of the reefer when sleeping. But, glad I don't do it anymore. And, they will give a CDL to anybody these days. The Industry is incredibly flawed. The trucks in the US are incredibly dangerous. I'm glad this documentary was made.
But you are ignoring the fact that the majority of truck vs car accidents are caused by the car driver. People just refuse to take responsibility for their safety and drive safely and quit speeding. Most of the time it’s the car drivers fault and they cut off the truck
I have extreme respect for semis, mostly because I value my life so much. Always let them in, give them space, do the light thing when they pass you; brights then back to regular so they know they can pull back into your lane. Always be very aware when they are close to you on the road and basically keep distance from them. I have been reading and hearing that trucks are causing more and more accidents and fatalities due to incompetent, inattentive, drugged or drunk drivers. Or texting drivers. It's getting worse. Please be careful on the roads everybody. Try to stay away from trucks, especially if they seem to be moving erratically.
If you think trucks are scary you should see how bad 4 wheelers are at driving or worse RVs and moving trucks wich are just regular joes with no special training in huge vehicles. sleep well and please stop blinding me with yer high beams.
Deregulation caused massive turnover and low pay. Carriers now have up to 150% annual turnover of their drivers. To keep the trucks rolling they implement a "meat in the seat" mentality. Some will literally hire anyone who can fog a mirror. The old professional drivers are almost gone from the industry as they're retiring. It will be interesting to see how they keep meat in the seat. Indentured servants perhaps?
@@nicksonkosi We have less time for delivery, a lot more regulations***, pay isn't keeping up with economy, expenses are getting out of control, people are a lot crazier, theft/kidnapping/murder/crime is way up, insurance con jobs, harassment/citations from dirty law enforcement, companies hiring to many ex-cons, immigrants, people who dont belong behind the wheel, to name a few.
High driver turnover, unpaid waiting times at shippers & receivers. Dispatch sitting behind a desk in another state, pushing a diver to hurry. Lots of young foreign drivers entering the truck driving vocation. They have a different value. Basically foreign drivers don’t give a shit. Just go, go. Stopping on the shoulder to take a piss, or 10 hour break.
@@nicksonkosi drivers are paid by the mile. There is mostly no pay for the long hours spent at docks. The ELDs keep you in check every single minute. Thus limiting your driving time cause you’re basically sitting around at docks. At the end of a 80-90 hour work week your pay is equivalent to 40 hours at a factory or a gas station. Hence the 150% driver turnover. Plus numerous other serious issues that face the driver. I’ve only scratched the surface.
I didn't watch this video no need to I drove trucks for 45 years and every day was filled trying to avoid accidents with careless drivers in 4 wheelers,yes there are some poor truck drivers but they are vastly outnumbered by idiots in cars,I don't think it will ever change until the average person starts driving a little better.
I remember Jayne Mansfield's death, everyone was horrified at what happened. I'd thought the rear bars that were later put on trucks, would prevent similar. Rather shocked to be seeing this report in 2023 - 56 freaking years later!!!!
You can't hang a bumper off the bottom of a trailer that covers the whole back end of a trailer that will stop a car moving more than 15 or so mph without being ridiculously expensive and heavy.
Also, the driver of the vehicle that Jayne Mansfield was traveling in, was intoxicated, and unconscious when they struck the rear of the semi. Now, I have driven semi trucks for 43.5 years, now retired, and it's those type of incidents that gave the trucking industry the type of bad image they received. Yes, we as an industry do have issues and many thousand of bad actors( individuals driving that have no business behind the wheel or in control) of commercial motor vehicles, and mainly most are unscrupulous foreign operated companies, which are one step ahead of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and the D.O.T. operating illegally and do so until a major accident occurs, then Federal action is taken, but back to my point, the laws pertaining to motor vehicle operations in all 48 continuous states, reads, if you the operator of any motor vehicle, strikes any other vehicle from behind, YOU, the operator are at fault. Now, of course, everyone will get on the defensive, and slam my opinion, which is ok, but do yourself a favor, and re read your motor vehicle laws handbook again. I don't think THAT law has changed in 50+ years.
Yes, it appears that the "Mansfield Bar" is there for decoration only. Might as well be made out of balsa wood! lol Glad that her kids (in the back seat) survived!!
It doesn’t matter what the trailers are made of. A car goes under a trailer or wrecks with a semi it’s going to be bad. And the guy who lost his son in the beginning of the documentary, he made it sound like that driver could save his son and just chose to sit there and watch. Don’t put that on the driver. There wasn’t anything he could do for his son. I feel bad for the dad but still
Technically could have been worse if the diesel in the tractor caught on fire because it burns hotter. But gas fires are harder to put out because of the vapors burning as well
I like to think I would have dumped a fire extinguisher into the wreck, at least you can face the dad while holding an empty extinguisher. Holding a full one means I didn't even try.
I agree, it seemed like an unnecessary & unfair swipe at the driver. However, the point still remains that side guards probably would have stopped the car from going under the truck. I have empathy for the father and also the driver.
As a truck driver i admit i only hope to survive 2 more years until i retire . While over 90 percent of truck accidents are caused by cars , government fact , two many truck drivers are becoming just as bad as the car drivers . All i want to do is survive 2 years . I'm constantly cut off by cars . Cars are constantly slamming on their brakes in front of trucks . Cars are driving way to fast while playing on phones not paying attention to traffic . In Orlando i had a guy run a red light and if not for the side skirts on my trailer, preventing him from going under my trailer , he would have murdered his whole family . As a side note my side skirts on the trailer are flexible . The problem with the side guards they show here have clearence issuse on railroad crossings but also at a lot of warehouses with sloped loading docks . The side gaurds aren't the problem but the national highway infrastructure can't accommodate them .
Man, you are not lying. Even in my personal vehicles, I see so-call 4-wheelers driving absolutely insane. Not all, but too many do. I suggest even noncommercial drivers should also be retested, when renewing their driver's license. Because I see so many that drive poorly - don't know how to merge and yield to right-of-way; roll through stop signs when a semi is close; cut-off in traffic and immediately breaking and do it a lot in bumper-to-bumper traffic; tailgating is constant I see. But I don't really know of law enforcement stopping 4-wheelers for that and brake checking. A dash camera is a must! I advise many people, whether 4-wheeler or commercial trucks, etc. Those devices help you and can provide protection also.
@@2cool460 I have two dashcams in my truck . I worked for a company that had an 80 percent at fault for accidents. Within a year of installing dashcams we went to under 20 percent at fault because people could no longer lie about how the accidents occurred.
@@sgrafx I've seen lots of roads get better while other roads are getting worse . The roads have gotten more dangerous due to traffic though . It's mostly passenger vehicles but I have seen trucks being driven by more poorly trained drivers too though .
Common sense has to prevail in life. Everything that is around you can be harmful. if it is abused. People need to drive responsibly to begin with. And they don't . An 18 wheeler has as much right to be on that road as a 4 wheeler.
I had one of these accidents myself as a teenager. The truck ran a stop sign coming off the interstate and I ran under him. Thankfully I was in a taller truck and the dash stopped me from going completely under. It was terrifying.
@@onekerri1 I went under the side of the truck as it came off of the interstate. I didn’t have a stop sign to run, and no I couldn’t see it, in road design perfection here, there is a bridge right before the exit, you come under the bridge into the exit lane. This was a big problem at the time that caused many accidents in this spot.
@@2Years2Farm these truck drivers drive like maniacs. Driving through OUR city like they own it. Forcing us into other lanes, purposely riding ass and not letting people merge, then act like big babies when they need to merge. Always riding in the left two lanes even tho they kno they're not suppose to. Slowing down i-75/i-71 all because they want to race each other up the hills, so they take up all 4/5 lanes of the highway because they're impatient with one another. Slowing the highway down to 20 mph. Dam truckers!!!!
@@deanneparis8888 these truckers are trying to blame YOU for the wreck because you didn't see the semi and KNOW it was about to run a stop sign. Haha. They're just crappy truck drivers themselves. That's all. Haha.
When I'm driving I stay far away from semi trucks. They can't see you. They're working hard to deliver cargo. The laws of physics will crush you in your dinky puny car if you're too close. So stay away. Like I do.
Sometimes you don't always have a choice especially if there's alot of traffic. I drive around semi's all the time due to the highway I have to take to commute to and from my residence. I can't tell you how many times I've seen semi's cut other drivers off even though that car wasn't in their blindspot and was in clear view. I've seen great truck drivers and horrible truck drivers. It all comes down to how little the truck driver cares.
What you don't mention is the DOT statistic that of the accidents you mentioned 75% of traffic fatalities with semi trucks, are the result of car drivers doing something they arent suppsed to be doing while driving. STOP TELLING ONE SIDE OF THE STORY.
I drive trucks with heavy loads so im slow on the road and everyone around me do the dumbest stuff trying to get around me both cars and trucks... if the speed limit is 70 do 70 not 90 trucks stay in the granny lane until there is no vehicles in the left then pass. I salute the people who stay behind me while im climbing a hill at 30 mph instead of shooting around and cutting me off. Saw plenty on the road and not all trucks are dangerous some 4 wheelers have some blame as well
I think mainly the non professional drivers are the problem. I always give as much space and courtesy to trucks. Climbing hill give them room let them out in traffic and not slow momentum. Everyone could use a little courtesy
Everyone is hauling ass on their phones cutting truckers off, tailgaiting, swerving lanes, thinking they're fast and the furious, but it's the truckers fault
I've been hit three times while legally parked. The first one went to jail and the other two filed suits which were dismissed. The last one even became angry because I took pictures of him lifting a heavy case from the truck and walking around uninjured. He also left the scene in the car of whomever he called instead by ambulance yet wanted money for medical bills. Made me think he hit me on purpose. Neither of the suit filers knew one of my duties on active duty was photographing accident scenes.
Speaking as a trucker myself, this industry is incredibly unsafe. many of my fellow “professional” drivers are as distracted as the car drivers they complain about. that, combined with how long trucks have become since deregulation in 1980 & the massive push to run faster & longer for less money means that safety is no longer a consideration for the industry & its drivers. massive federal oversight & regulation is needed to quell this problem
Very unsafe when you have drivers out here angry at the state the industry is in barely making the money needed to support themselves and their families
As a CDL holder, a former truck owner operator, a machinist mate on a U.S. Ballistic Missile submarine and a retired funeral director/embalmer my heart breaks for the families that have lost anyone under these circumstances, this is preventable. I am certain that anyone driving commercially would be in favor of anything that would prevent them from being involved with such an accident. This is one of many issues involving truck transport that needs to be addressed with common sense rule making and the political/monetary concerns should be a non issue. There is no calculus that balances a thousand dollars worth of materials, fabrication and installation with the loss of human life
It isn't just commercial vehicles that cause underrun/overrun crashes. The number of lifted pickups-- especially 3/4 and 1 ton -- that are on the roads is increasing. The mismatch between their bumpers and the average passenger car is incredibly dangerous.
There are laws in some states that limit lifts, bumper height, and frame height. I doubt it's enforced very strictly though. Don't think too many states have them either.
But nobody wants to talk about that because pickup truck owners don't carry 2 million dollar insurance policies!!!!!!! Everybody's after semi trucks everybody hates semi trucks because they want that semi truck to give them a trip down easy street and an early retirement! Trucks don't kill people. People kill people. Had a car today pass me on the fucking curb while I was making a right turn she was in my blind spot and she was going to let me hit her ass too. Guess what? There was a big ass dip in the rain gutter my tires were about to go down into and her car was about to go under my trailer. If that happened and my wheels dropped down a foot in that gutter she'd be crushed. I stopped in time because she was in my blind spot but I saw her in my right hood mirror. I got out truck and cussed her ass out and she was looking like she was disappointed. I took pic of her tag and called the law on her have them her tag number too.
I drive commercial Class A and I can say most of the time theses accidents are the results of how the cars around us have been driving. Now I know there are bad commercial drivers out there but more times than not it's the fault of the car being impatient around the larger slower truck. Just today as I write this I had over 20 incidents where cars cut me off so close that my collision alarm sounded (New trucks have a VADA sensor on the nose). More needs to be done to enforce safe driving laws in ALL 50 states. Drivers need to be cited and possibly suspended for aggressive driving which has become a serious problem lately. All you drivers out there need to understand that everyone, non-commercial & commercial alike have ALL the same rights to ALL lanes. Be patient.. it takes us a little longer to make a pass than your car. Most commercial trucks are speed limited to 65-70mph and cannot speed up for you.
Exactly! They can make all the laws and regulations against commercial vehicles they want. However, nothing will change until they hold these motorists responsible and give stiffer penalties for reckless driving.
As a driver that had a side under ride car go under my trailer that was stopped because he was running with no lights on at night there is a need to educate car drivers to be safer around trucks. Better under ride protection with all drivers driving safer is what is needed.
Ugh, I’m a truck driver and most truck drivers out there just want to be safe. Are there bad drivers who shouldn’t have cdl’s? Absolutely and it’s getting worse. A lot of drivers come over here from other countries, which is fine, but they bring bad habits and many don’t speak or read English which is incredibly dangerous as the country is littered with very helpful signs. Most truck drivers try to keep a safe following distance, are in governed trucks (I can only top out at 68 mph) and try to gauge what all the four wheelers out there are going to do. I don’t know how many times I’ve had cars cut me off because they were about to miss their exit or slam on their breaks when I’m yanking 45,000 lbs down the interstate but it takes a lot of space for trucks to come to a complete stop. Also factor in that 8 out of 10 4 wheelers are staring at their phones when they blow by me speeding in the right lane and that just makes it more dangerous. There are a lot of good truck drivers out there that just want to do their job, make a living and get back home after months on the road safely, their safety and the public’s safety. But like I said, there’s some that shouldn’t have CDLs but there’s just as many drivers of 4 wheelers that shouldn’t have there license either. This isn’t just all on the truck drivers, not the good, responsible ones anyway…..
The funniest thing is no truck driver was interviewed for this documentary yet truck drivers are at the center of this whole documentary. Shoddy journalism. As a truck driver in the US for years, there are 2 things that can come out from installing the under 'safety' guard. A car hits the guard, bounces of into other lanes and cars causing multiple injuries/casualties. Second, the car hits the trailer, the shock is absorbed by the trailer causing the driver to loose control of an 80,000+ pound truck travelling at 70MPH, imagine the carnage, how many people and cars will be plowed into. This documentary is just playing into emotions. Death from an accident is catastrophic but lets not act like we don't know the attitude of car drivers towards truck drivers on American highways or like every accident involving a truck, the truck driver is always at fault. Truck drivers are professionals who drive for hours and hundreds of miles everyday and they don't go causing crashes everywhere. Safety starts with every driver. People should take personal responsibilities, keep clear off a semi truck, don't drive alongside one, don't be on the drivers blindside, don't race a semi or try to cut it off. Truck drivers know if while driving at speed and a car jumps a red light and crosses your path, you don't slam on the brakes or swerve to avoid the collision, otherwise, you loose control of the 80K lbs missile and instantly put a lot more people in danger, you just plow through that car. They jumped a red light, why put other innocent civilians you included because someone's inattention? People, safety starts with you. Stay safe out there. Be kind to fellow drivers!
FACTS brother FACTS. P.B.S. has entirely lost its appeal with me. It's a far leftist agenda and very clearly biased on in this episode for example. TRUCKERS ARE THE TOP 1% OF THE NECESSARY ROTATING COG THAT OPERATES THIS COUNTRY!, I'M NOT A TRUCKER BUT UNLIKE SOME PEOPLE I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH WHAT'S CALLED "!!!COMMON SENSE!!!" EVERY SINGLE OPERATION IN THIS COUNTRY, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BIBLE THAT I ORDERED, THROUGH THE MAIL, THAT GOT DELIVERED FOR MY PRAYERS.... "WAS 99.99%" AT SOME POINT INSIDE AN 18-WHEELER OR SEMI!! TO GET "the shipment to my house" IN ONE WAY SHAPE OR FORM TO "ME!!!" In the distant and not so distant future I can't picture a train pulling up in my backyard to drop off goods lol :-) Some of the hardest workers on planet Earth, that make this country run are the "VERY IMPORTANT ROLE OUR TRUCKERS PLAY!!" . Without guys like you, all these little whiners about their feelings getting hurt would be left in the dust.
@@Jiraiyashouse666 now that you mentioned that specific example, I TOTALLY AGREE with you!! In the state that I live in those double and triple trailers are not legal to drive here. Looking at that situation from traveling a lot across the country, personally, those doubles and triples and I've seen the actual The few times I seen FedEx as well! They are straight dangerous sometimes!!. I don't know the qualifications for driving one of those. I would hope that it is a higher set of standards. But you also have to take into consideration that these people who drive for massive corporate companies like that, are held to a completely crazy standard and really straight time frames for their cargo. My friend owns his own trucking company, and he started with FedEx. Also some other similar company that was a dominating corporate market. I was in a blizzard in the mountains between West Virginia and Virginia and these guys in double trailers FedEx in particular, we're still doing 70 in the snowstorm lol! They didn't appear to be out of control, but holy crap! I could never in a million years handle a rig like that. A good point. But all conversations and personal feelings about terrible tragedy unless that have to do with truckers, look up the statistics on how many people like PBS tries to make out were murdered by careless truckers lol 😇🤣 And after you see the real statistics, look out the statistics for how many people are in fatal crashes in high speeds with SUVs, cars, etc. The difference is shocking yet PBS doesn't tell their fan base that. It's nice to see some advocates who not only drive but provide the necessity for our country's economy going to bed on this post "!!!🚛🚛🚚🙌😤💪🚚🚛🚛🚚👍👏!!" "!!"😤🤔🤯🤣🤑🙄🙄🚂🚂🚝🚅🚄🚂🚂!!👎👎🤜👎👎👇👎👎
I really didn't see that truck drivers are at the center of this documentary at all. But then I'm not a trucker so I had no reason to take it personally. The greed of the company bigwigs and their lobbyists are at the center of it, protecting their profits at all cost. Capitalism at its finest. Investigating corporate and political greed and corruption is what Frontline is known for, and that's what this doc points to. Change has to come from the top but it rarely does. I do agree though that they really should've interviewed some truckers with differing perspectives. For my part as a car driver I always stay well behind _all_ vehicles on the highway and if I must pass a semi truck I pass as quickly as possible on the left and then merge back into the right only after the trucker is well behind me. And I usually pray in my own way before and during the trip even though I'm not religious. 😅👍😇🙏
Now let’s make a documentary about the thousands of ignorant and distracted drivers on 4 wheels who cause a majority of these accidents across the country
As a truck driver I truly believe that they should separate the trucks away from regular cars. Truck lanes only. Most of the highways have only two lane roads. Not good at all no room for escape.
Since 1980 truckers have lost HALF their pay while everybody else got pay raises. The treatment of drivers by dispatchers and companies, shippers and receivers is HORRIBLE. As long as ONLY drivers are being held accountable nothing will change. If you want to improve these types of accidents you HAVE to hold companies accountable. The only people who drive now are either life longers who know nothing else, people who REALLY love the open road, and the massive majority are people who have no other choice. Take those people who have no other choice and mix them with a super easy licensing tests for CDLs, and add to the fact that drivers live in what is basically a large closet, forced to work 70 hours a week, and thanks to ELDs many drivers HAVE to drive while sleepy and you get this. If shipping companies were forced to pay better you would get better drivers and instead what you have is the average CDL driver only makes around 42,000 a year while doing 70 hours a week while being treated like trash by the companies. When companies are actually held accountable for the drivers they hire the quality of drivers will improve. PAY BETTER AND HOLD COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE AND STOP TARGETING ONLY THE DRIVERS. As for the under ride deaths, many trailer manufacturers are already putting aero kits under the trailers now and if you added guards behind that you would prevent under ride deaths and have the aero efficiency. As a PS: Most accidents involving tractor trailers are caused by cars, so much so that police in many states now ride with a driver with police all around and pull over and arrest aggressive drivers that go after tractor trailers. One single officer in one day had more than 150 cars pulled over that brake checked tractor trailers. 150 IN ONE DAY.
Too right. We're paid like paupers and intrusively-regulated like we're hauling nuclear weapons. But apparently, that was supposed to increase 'safety'. They let all the mexicans and towel heads in, and now they want the 18 year olds in too. Sure, there are a lot of bad steering-wheel holders, but the majority of vehicles are 4-wheelers. And they grew up learning to drive in 'Grand Theft Auto', where there is no haptic feedback of actual world conditions ... some newer haulers as well have no idea what it means if I push you in the side - centrifugal force. They come up an on-ramp and bump into your skirt, because they don't know what merge means, pass you on either shoulder because you are 'in the way', speed up and try to cut your trailer coming over, when you already flashed and your tractor made the lane. This isn't even the half of it, what with cameras and extreme space intrusion. Quite simply, they are insane. There ought to be a mandatory course at the DMV about what to do around a CMV, as well as strict and heavy penalties. This video at the outset makes it all look like it's a CDL-A's, or his truck's, fault - while billboards all over the interstate tell these nutcases how much they can be paid for making consequences they won't have to suffer. Messed up world. 🚛💥
True. In some cases eld rules don't allow a driver to nap when tired, but instead penalize you and force drivers to drive tired. One size fits all rules always have unintended consequences
This entire episode is a completely failed and flawed analysis. Truck or Trailer Manufacturers NOR the Trucking Industry are Responsible for these almost non-existent accidents (literally tens of Billions of transits/ deliveries to 1 death). There are an entire host of causes which I detailed above which have nothing whatsoever to do with Semi-Trucks, Trailers, the Trucking Industry, etc. etc. Frontline is incredibly biased, foolish ignorant, approaches everything from an anti-American/ anti-Republican/ anti-Libertarian, irrational LEFTIST flawed and failed analysis. It is always radical left wing propaganda brainwashing toward the furtherance of the destruction of Western Civilization.
@@Sovereign_Citizen_LEO : I couldn’t have said any better. There’s a war on trucks and the trucking industry. What people forget is everything you have from food to the Ford you drive and all the components that built the Ford to the seed that ended up being the food you eat CAME ON A TRUCK.
Fellow Frontline stans, might I recommend an episode of “The Gray Area” Vox’s Marin Cogan talks with author and journalist Jessie Singer, whose book There Are No Accidents asks us to completely rethink our understanding of accidents as seemingly random, blameless, harm-inducing events. It will haunt you and think rear guards are only the beginning. I also remember reading another haunting article in a readers digest on how many children automatic backup cameras would save, but you know apparently you can put a price on the life of your children
Pretty easy to stop deaths like that kids dont hang around the right side of a semi trailer when its turning right or you have to choose the ditch or the truck had the kid chose to hit the Jersey barrier he'd probably be alove and well today
Saw an old man in a Chrysler Lebaron do a rear under ride took his head off clean at the shoulders, as I drove by i looked down and his decapitated skull was in the back seat
Welcome to the USA! The richest country in the world with the wealthiest companies cannot shell out a fraction of their revenue to save lives. Incredible.
I was involved in an under ride vehicle accident in 1978 when a drunk driver ran under the rear of my freight trailer and burried it up to and including the dash on his 1972 Impala while doing 40 mph. Because of the high and heavy build of the car and the guard beneath the rear trailer body, the driver only had exploding glass injuries. They really did work in certain conditions as I witnessed it even if the standards set then were poor.
@Flying Monkey Death Squadron Commander Yep! I also witnessed 1st hand a similar type accident while in the DelMarVa peninsula in 1982. Because the body build of the car was an older type "heavy Chevy" it was not fatal. The passenger vehicles now are 'tinny' or cheaply made and crumple easily. Not like a Nash Rambler I drove as a teen..built like a tank too.
@@jeffk464 The smaller that cars become the less safety they afford to the occupants. People need to look farther down the road than the end of the hood!
@@ey67 You sure got that right. The most glaring and disgusting example I can think of is what Ford Motor Company tried to get away with back in the 1970's. You may (if you are old enough) recall that their Ford Pinto was a top selling compact car, but a fatal design flaw was uncovered. Without going into too much detail, basically they were exploding (gas tank) upon rear impact from another car. Hundreds, if not thousands were being killed or badly injured this way every year. So they brought in the number crunchers to do a cost-benefit analysis using the estimated cost of a recalling all of those Pintos for retrofitting/correction versus the projected future costs of liability/negligence claims resulting from lives lost and severe injuries. Spoiler: yeah....the executives ruled against a recall. Pretty dark stuff.. The best part for them is it is impossible to make a wrong decision...even if they miscalculated, we sucker taxpayers bail them out anyway. The golden parachute always opens, never fails!
@@michaelesgro9506 yes and Ralph Nader got involved with not safe at any speed and testified in Congress because I believe the Chevy Corvair had the same problem with gasoline tanks exploding as the were directly behind or near the rear bumper. Can't remember if the motor was in the rear Chevy stopped making the Corvair. Bad publicity I guess. We could have had him as POTUS but Americans have been too stoopido to live since saint Ronny reagan. So there it is. They all said we need more data. One would think that thousands dead over the last century provides enough data but that would enterfear with profits. Corporate crocodiles in suits. We are ruled by reptiles. What could go wrong?
Trailers need to be redesigned certainly, but we'd be far better off if it were a true national priority to shift long haul trucking to long and mid haul rail infrastructure. With proper investment, it would be cheaper, more efficient, safer, and overall better. Truck drivers could transition to railroad jobs or short haul trucking, and end up with a better quality of life and safety.
A good idea but do some research. Rail transport is unbelievably screws up. Put trailer or container on a train and it vanishes into an information black hole for days or weeks. Nobody knows where it is. Plenty of blame but as usual everything is driven by lowest cost.
Unfortunately railroad tracks don't go everywhere and as we saw in Ohio, that industry has its own spotty safety record. You also have to consider the headaches train crossings cause for a community when they are constantly busy.
After my cousin was killed like this we modified our trucks with side guards . We had to design our own. Luckily knock on wood we have never had anyone hit us. People need to keep their distance from the rigs. I could write a book on everything I have seen on the road. Please keep your distance and don’t pull out in front of the rigs. We can’t stop on a dime. It’s unfortunate that these accidents happen. I have been driving for 20 years with no accidents. I’m now retired and I still drive part time for farmers hauling grain. Please drive safely.
I'd be curious how much weight it added to the truck and trailer, assuming you went from the trailer tires to maybe the landing gear? I can imagine building a framework under the sides of the trailer and it seems pretty simple to build but I wondered about how much weight it would add. Going any further forward, past the landing gear of the trailer could put the frame into the drive tires if you had to slide the fifth wheel forward.
I was ready to stop watching at 1:33 They keep happening, "accidents", because people are stupid. Don't slam into the rear of a truck and you'll be fine. If you hit a truck from behind it is nearly always your fault.
The report was very informative however I wish someone would bring forth the idea even of 4 wheel drivers having the basic knowledge of how to drive around ANY commercial vehicle. Whether these guards work or not, a 4 thousand pound car vs an 80 thousand pound truck has a very low probability of surviving at highway speeds.
This is small beans. imagine if we had functional, clean, and safe public transportation. We wouldn't have to drive to buy groceries or see friends. Then we wouldn't have the highest crash and crash death rate in the OECD.
the industry has known about how the rear bumper area can decapitate people for decades, but only few companies do something significant about it in their bumper design.
NOT TRUE .... The ICC bumper law has been in effect since 1977. Class 8 Trailer bumpers must be in low height compliance to prevent cars from sliding underneath them from the rear. The amount of divergent speed needed to accordian your car at the back of a truck is insane... and speaks to the problem of speeding motorist... Not trucking industry mfg's.
@TenGreenRangers I've seen and worked with the existing design requirements. Unless they changed it in the last 8 years, I'm still describing the same shit regulations. What dumbass looks at reality and says oh no that's the problem with the people instead of actually designing around what happens in real life? Lmao. People aren't supposed to drive over 65mph so only design all automobile safety around just 65 mph and less right? 😂 go home
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Once upon a time, I worked for insurance company, as a monitor. I had a list of different trucking companies. I rare if ever searched for these trucking companies at truck stops. I found it to be easier to hit the highway, and take the time to spot these trucking companies as I coasted. My task was to watch ( follow) these trucks 5 miles 5 minutes and log truck drivers behavior on the highway. 1 speed? 2 center of lane? 3 proper braking? Is mindful of other vehicles on the highway? Etc. Then I move on, again, after stopping briefly on the side of the road, making brief report. There was a few incidents I had to call Highway patrol dispatch, to report a trucker weaving over the lane/ highway. One trucker was pulled over by Highway patrol, as he was in diabetic shock which is a medical emergency. The insurance company said, monitors greatly reduced the accident rate on highways. So, that made me feel like I was making a difference, and the job was worth it. Many long hours on the highway. 12 hour shifts for 3 days then I take 1 day break. I back out for another 3 days, 12 hour shifts. I'd do it again. Good employer.
I'm a over the road truck driver. Too many times a four wheeler has cut in front of me, jammed on the brakes and took the exit on the right. I have had quite a few cut in front of me to get to the red light ahead of me. That space I was calculating between my truck and the stop line was so I could stop safely. Now I have to hard break because this stupid teenager cut in front of me and she is completely clueless as to how close she came to getting crushed. SMH.
Truck driver here and it does concern me about side under ride and rear bumper under ride protections on trailers. Most trailers now have bare minimums but I have seen some new trailers out there with beefier rear bumpers that have additional gusseting and cross-bracing. Couple problems I see with side under ride guards is a limited ability or possibly an inability to slide the trailer tandems. Maybe the guards will be incorporated into the tandem under-carriage but I did not see any detail on that issue in this documentary. Being able to slide trailer tandems is crucial to cargo carriers and customers when it comes to safely loaded and weight-balanced shipments. The other problem I can foresee is a possible low-clearance issue when a side-guard equipped tractor trailer negotiates an elevated railroad crossing. A fully loaded trailer could bottom out on the tracks and get stuck, much like when a drop deck or low-boy trailer gets stuck at a rail crossing. These are legitimate issues the FMCSA, DOT, and ATA are looking at. Good reporting tho.
Only concerns I have is will these prevent truckers from doing their under trailer inspection? Also would this make it more dangerous to cross inclines and railroads due to increased likelihood to bottom out and get stuck? Im new to trucking.
@@angelgjr1999 It could pose a problem doing inspections, servicing, and doing maintenance on the trailer. Maybe there could be a quick-release mechanism to unhook the side guard and have it on hinges where it could be swung out of the way. Yes bottoming out could be an issue with the side guards, depending on how high off the ground they are.
@@angelgjr1999 no. Think about it drivers manage to do inspections on moving vans lowboys and cattle pots and I don’t believe the side protectors would have to be as low as those trailers.
There NEEDS to be a trucking lane. Plain and simple. Any car violating this by using the lane should be ticketed with a hefty $1,000 fine OR have their license suspended. 3 times, have their license revoked. SOMETHING has to be done. At least this would be a great start!
I do want to know why you have this opinion from a traffic stand point you would mess up the flow not to mention once you look up the stats almost 70% of all crashes involving a semi or box truck are caused by the 4 wheelers if anything the 4 wheelers need to be punished more they cause the wrecks most 4 wheelers Don't know how to drive around big rigs
That's a great idea, But..... That idea means adding lanes to existing freeways OR reducing traveled lanes to accommodate commercial traffic lanes. People drive in the left Lanes and never follow the Old rule ......keep in the right lane Except to pass. Left Lane hogs include 4 wheelers and semis.
@@Foxhound_709 Does a different speed limit (on 4 lane divided highways) add to safety or does it contribute to more accidents? The 55 MPH speed limit on Interstates was such baloney, they were designed for much higher speeds....But are deficient to handle today's much higher traffic volumes.
Truckers in America are grossly underpaid, a professional driver handling 80,000 lbs of equipment on our roads should make enough money that the job attracts quality people, not the case now
Jane Mansfield folks. 😮 How soon they forget. If you can’t see the truck drivers mirrors he can’t see you. Car drivers don’t have a clue about a tractor trailers blind spots. Not a clue. If you pass the truck on the right it is very dangerous. HUGE BLIND SPOT especially if the truck is turning.
I drove a truck for nearly 30 years and I can tell you from experience that the majority of careless drivers I've ever had the misfortune of being on the road with have been people vehicles with 4 wheels .
Durrrr probably because there are literally 100x as many passenger cars as semis on the road. Yall just prove why all you're good for is driving s truck, can't think worth a shit
And not to mention the 4 wheelers who try to cause an accident on purpose and brake check truckers to try to get insurance money not knowing most of them out there on the road have dash cameras
What? The DoT has a cozy relationship with the industry it's supposed to regulate??? Shocked...I am just shocked. At least that is isolated and doesn't occur with agencies like the FDA, USDA, FAA...oh...wait...
Fantastic reporting AC, propublica and Frontline. I found myself analyzing the trucks on the morning drive. I saw a wind wall but not a cross bar. It's wild
I’m a truck driver and the biggest issue I see out here is that everyone on the road feels that their time is more valuable than yours. They will do the dumbest things just to save a few seconds on their commute. I see it every day with people in their personal vehicles and commercial trucks as well. No one has patience anymore and will gladly endanger themselves and others for stupid reasons.
Agreed 110% no body leaves enough time, who cares if your a little late, better than killing someone. People need to look ahead and anticipate danger like we do, i feel like i know what a 4 wheeler(car) is gonna do before he even knows just by watching his behavior, people do not see driving as the #1 priority when they are on the road
I agree, but I hope you're not saying we don't need to fix the underride problem because people are dumb and irresponsible drivers. People are dumb and irresponsible, therefore the need for safer trailers.
That's exactly right. And there's even some truck drivers that are guilty of that too. No one is innocent. It's a disease in this country anymore that everyone is in such a hurry and it's true to shave a few seconds off. If your commute people will weave in and out of traffic and cut people off and it's absolutely ridiculous.
I agree 💯
That's just one sided opinion.
I've been a semi truck and yard jockey driver.
There are lots of passenger drivers who don't know the awareness of dangerous driving in the blindside of the tractor trailer is really stupid.
There were many instances of semi tractor trailers tailgating me while I was driving in my passenger car so be honest with yourself on these important matters.
Don't drive commercially. But as a car driver, I always keep a distance from a big rig whenever possible. Both for my safety, and the truck drivers piece of mind. Just be aware if your on the road with large vehicles, they will not be able to stop/go/turn etc. as fast as you.
thank you! thats what we want cars and commuters to understand. people think they can cut off trucks and not cause issues
You can drive around them safely. Yet many drivers assume right of way as they are larger and on the road for more hours. E-log lateness also make them drive faster if they are behind schedule. I have seen trucks doing 90+mph as they are obviously past their route or trying to make it back to their yard.
Yes but it can still happen, like the lady that got hit and pushed under a trailer.
@@ericscottstevensi am a truck driver truck cant even go 90 max 85
You nailed it, everybody needs to read What you said
I drove trucks for 6 years and decided to leave the industry. I will never get rid of my cdl but as far as driving trucks is concerned, I am done. Too many dumbasses on the road. From 4 wheelers, to other truckers to DOT to shipper/receivers, disgusting food at these truck stops, constant road construction, weather and most importantly inconsistent pay. Watching documentaries like this solidifies my decision on leaving the industry.
Im working on getting out too
It's is high paying job for those who does not have good education.
Now if we could just get you to leave the planet.
It seems like good drivers are a rarity these days. Small vehicle drivers and truckers. Both drive like they own the road. Better enforcement is desperately needed but no one seems to care.
Flip flop drivers with their headset on 24-7 are the worst drivers.
Jesus Christ, that story about Riley, about "the day the Earth tilted," ripped my heart out. We lost a daughter in an auto accident and I remember the state police car pulling into our driveway and I knew - I KNEW! - that our daughter had died. And, for the most part, so did we.
Truly heartbreaking just to hear how he suffered in the end.
As a truck driver this goes out to all citizen drivers.
That space between the tractor-trailer is not for you to squeeze in. Its for safe brake distance. You will get crushed,you can and will loose your life. Also,if you are running late speeding and endangering yourself and everyone else on the road is not worth it.
That Truck driver force the kid off the road and side under.
Yes. Trucks and their drivers kill.
We get that.
@@jenniferdurby6552 and more of a chance when drivers take stupid fatal chances.
But you truck drivers be driving crazy also I have almost been ran off the road many times but I thank God for keeping me safe
Me and my Hyundai avoid you like you's my mother-in-law.
You take your time and I'll stay tf back here
Before getting your drivers license, it should be mandatory to take a class on how to drive around commercial vehicles and the dangers that come with it from being reckless around them. I don’t drive a truck, but I have a huge respect for those guys and girls. They keep America moving and the economy.
I agree with this whole-heartedly. I have never driven a truck but I understand basic physics, understand the huge differences in driving a fully loaded 53' semi vs my Subaru, and understand what truckers go through, especially in traffic in cities.
@@DKanielreith so many drivers are so ignorant when it comes to size and physics of vehicles or are just stupid drivers who don't care about anyone else
news flash: car vs semi, the semi will ALWAYS win
@@tomtemple69 Exactly. My wife is foreign and scared to death of semi trucks but I reassure her if she’s alert you can almost always trust the driver is alert and just make your way around them. Never inadvertently brake hard in front of them, etc and you will be fine
@@DKanielreith i've never had issues with semi trucks because i've driven one before and realize how much room they need to stop and how hard it is to manuever something so huge plus im not an a-hole driver
I am a truck driver and I agree completely with your statement. I drive 6 nights a week and every night I have to deal with drivers who drive next to me. One tire blow out is all it takes for a horrible accident to occur that can be completely avoided if they just pass me and don't slow down and sit next to me. Most times I have to slow down just to get them away from me. But as shown in this documentary, some of these accidents are a result of the truck driver. This is because DOT has made it easier for inexperienced drivers to get a CDL. This job is not as simple as driving a vehicle. Proper attitude and patience should be REQUIRED for this job.
There are Mandates for so many stupid things in this country but when an actual mandate would make a huge difference, they just can’t manage to do it in Washington
When ever I come across a semi on the highway, I either stay way, way back and if I anticipate a blind spot coming my way, I either drop back behind the truck or smartly accelerate to get out ahead so the trucker can see me. I treat semi trucks like instant death if I don't give them a wide berth. And yes, truckers' skills on the highway have worsened over the past 45 years.
The truck drivers are driven to death by the corrupt truck companies and thus others die as well. Lots of blame but start with the companies
Truth.
@@ey67Well, they should find another job then and NOT drive trucks. Like hey, I get treated like crap and get ran the hell out of but let me keep working for this person or company, makes a lot of sense right?!
@@DG-ie5ipIdiot drivers are just idiot drivers no matter who they're.
I do the same thing. I also remind my family to keep clear every time we are riding together.
As an Owner Operator for the last 30+ years, I have (on a daily basis) saved car drivers from going under my trailer by watching their actions as the merge onto the highway. Before cell phones it wasn't as bad (food, makeup, cigarettes), but since everyone now has a computer in their hand, the amount of car drivers who are merging distracted is massive.
I know what you mean, I'm just a driver, but I see idiots, digging in their smartphones,on the road every day. All modern cars,loaded with all kinds of electronics junk, and missing one vital improvement - smartphone blocker.
For Sure cell phones have accidents deaths have increased by UNDERRIDE ... Certainly due Inadequate Manufacturing & Operations of Tractors on the Highways... they shouldn't be allowed together on small roads...😢
Yes Good points, thank you.
Accordingly, most every car, suv, mini-van, light pickup truck model in recent two decades increasingly are built with GPS/ Computer monitors/ Mobile phone interface/ TV screen/ Back-up camera, interactive screen on dashboard, telematics, = distractions galore.
They are besides, entertainment, loud sounds/ music, on-board voice announcements to car driver, lane-drift warnings, etc, etc thus whether captivating, entertaining, distracting driver by information overload.
Roads have become saturated with all sorts of traffic signs especially evident are suburban and more intensely saturated with signs urban /city roads.
The high-tech, gov ministries, marketing, msm, and car manufacturers are pushing self-parking, self-correcting, self-driving cars, 'safety features'. Those are double edge broad swords enticing overreliance on computerisation whilst increasing obliviousness, recklessness, etc = bad net results.
Most every suburban, urban /city are on delusional political agendas under slogans/ titles i.e., ''Safe Streets'', ''Healthy Streets', ''Vision Zero'' by building bulging curbs flanking roadways, choke lanes, etc, etc.
* (Have see bulged out cubs, curb offsets, and the like to easily notice, chipped curbs, dark/ black scuff marks on curbing; the black scuff marks are from car tyre sidewalls. Tyre side walls are easily stressed / pinched by scuffing curbs reducing performance and durability of tyre, increasing peril of tyre failure, raising risk of driver losing control of car.) *
Thus minimising visibility by confusion, signs, eliminating space to avoid drivers and pedestrians making mistakes all to defeat 'Safety'.
Yes. I agree. There are some crappy drivers out there. But I was minding my business in the right lane when the truck just glided over into me. He said I was in his blind spot. The driver didn't even stop for 10 minutes. Cars had to flag him down. My point is that drivers of big rigs have their problems, too. I once had a big rig driver chase me down the highway for fun! It wasn't fun for me. I was in the right lane going the speed limit, and I thought the guy must have wanted me to speed up or move so he could get off the next exit. No, he got right behind me again, so I got back in the right lane. This was on a weekend so traffic was very light where I lived. He got right on my bumper and stayed there. He seemed delighted that he was scaring me, especially since I was in a small car. Truck drivers also deal with being too tired, not very good training before they're put out on the road, and meth abuse. My older brother used to drive a truck cross country, so he told me a lot of dirty little secrets. Not saying every trucker is like that . But it is widespread.
@@uberrox452 There is too much wrong with your comment to bother breaking down and explaining. Good luck with your existence
Driver training is KEY. I spent 12yrs with a CDL and 6yrs as a Smith System trainer. Spend the extra money to get your kids properly trained (it could save their life).
As a pro, I spend as little time next to semis as possible. I either stay back, or RACE past them (the right pedal is your friend if used properly). I see people all the time just lingering next to big trucks. You do that at your own peril 💯
that alwasy pisses me off when people pace me like that when im loaded. and it is unfortunately always women or old asian men who like to camp out next to me. and this is an observation ive made.
No, its not the "key". It's a good starting point. 81% of truck/car crashes are determined to be the cars fault. But, having driven for 18 years, I can say that we have too many inexperienced and reckless drivers in our industry. Don't beleive me, turn on your CB and listen to all of the truck drivers cursing other truck drivers. It's a puzzle, and it's going to take MANY PIECES to solve it. One of those pieces does need to be safer equipment.
We didn't say, "we need to teach drivers to stop rear ending other drivers to solve the gas tanks catching fire in the Ford Pinto. We said, Ford must make it safer by moving it.
@@jamesrice4072 Driver training is absolutely key. You can wait for the world to change if you'd like; I'm the type of parent who made sure my kids knew how dangerous the world is and equipped them to navigate accordingly 💯
So very true! My brother , who dove big trucks, said they had to basically train themselves. They get a few hours training on something, they do it once or twice, and you're passed to the next thing. Plus, many, many turn into meth users.
@@Themrine2013 You won't see me. I'm gone!! They call me the breeze!! 😂
Excellent presentation. As a retired Sheriff's Deputy & Sergeant of 28+ years I saw a number of traffic deaths resulting from rear crashes into semi trailers & one from a side 'under-ride'. They were all of the most gruesome crashes I have ever witnessed. I was glad to hear of the relatively recent legislation for mandated improved rear trailer collision guards. These are most commonly put to use when motorists are following but not completely aware of a semi-trailer slowdown for any variety of reason, the motorist then slamming into the trailer. I find it interesting that so many enclosed semi trailers have the large panel beneath their trailers for the purposes of controlling air turbulence to increase fuel economy. Seems to me the same structure could accommodate a side guard.
As a former 48 state truck driver, these side guards would really help. This has always been a problem. In ice and snow conditions cars are more likely to slide under your trailer, or the trailer more likely to slide over cars. Many trucks have wind guards under the trailers to improve mileage and these occupy the same space as the side guards, so we can already show the space is available.
Well put! Truckers and 4 wheelers (regular car and pickup drivers) need to be in control of their vehicles and SLOW down in bad weather.
Side skirts on trucks do save fuel but they also get ripped off and damaged easily. Have you not taken a look at the side skirts on a trailer? They're designed to bend and flex. And they still get ripped off. What do you think will happen with side guards? Would you like to be late for work when trucks get high centered and stuck at every intersection??? Would you like ice balls flying through your windshield in the snow? Side guards will collect ice chunks that weigh the truck down even more.
Terrible idea. Those guards would need to be rigid you would have trailers hung up on railroad crossings and curbs. Those side skirts flex and almost everyone you see is damaged.
@@mike-sk2li A 53 foot trailer is the same length as a Greyhound bus and they don't get hung up in R/R crossings.
look at European semi-trucks. Almost all trailers have some sort of side guard. Most formula 1 teams have the full sidewall on their traveling trucks
I retired from an airline and recently decided to go back to work driving a truck. There’s absolutely no reason to run this business the way we do. There are companies that are allowed to operate that every single person in the business knows are unsafe. I could literally write a book and I’ve been driving for less than a year.
Absolutely ⚠️ it's a DEADLY industry full of Incompetent DEADLY Drivers
NHTSA has found that 90% of car vs truck accidents ... are caused by the car.
@@TenGreenRangers 10% is still a lot for professional drivers.
You haven't been driving long enough to speak on that. Once you hit two million miles then you can speak on it. In two million miles I've watched the amount of traffic on the roads triple. I've watched the amount of reckless drivers on the road quadruple! The trucks are not the problem it's the shitty reckless car drivers that are the problem!
My son was offered a semi driver job in a company he worked for, I’m thankful he didn’t take it.
I'm a police Officer with 23 years of experience. One of the big problems with the reporting of under or over ride is that many Officers don't list it on the accident report. They would just list it as a side collision or rear collision and not mention the over or under ride.
Unfortunately, we've become accustomed to sloppy police work.
@@jimhabsfanyou haven’t seen sloppy police, you spoiled American. 😂
that is simply due to lack of training, Officer. There's no possible way you'd ever guess what to be specific on if the industry and regulation officials don't care to explain.
@39:10
@@AirJockey100 Humans are fallible, we all make mistakes. We CAN do better as a society a be better drivers, but we can also engineer our way to a safer society.
'Stay away from the big trucks, son'. My father is a million mile truck driver who worked for the big haulers like CF and Yellow for over 30 years. One of the best pieces of advice he gave me about how to stay safe out on the highway especially on long road trips - where you're in the trucker's world. I do that even in my daily commutes. I stay back from them when following, don't ride along side them any longer than necessary, pass them quickly, give them lots of forward space when merging in front of them and am patient when I'm behind them as they leave from a stop. You should too. Some accidents we have no control over and these mechanical safety devices they're talking about here are a good idea but remember how much control you have to stay safer on the road around trucks. Be aware of them and be very careful around them - stay away from the big trucks.
Please tell your father I said thank you for his service
Agreed. At work I drive a bigger vehicle that wouldn't be subject to side or rear underride, but I still try to employ these rules just as an example for other drivers if nothing else, but also because in my personal vehicle I could easily be decapitated if I were to slide under a truck because I drive a small sedan, and so I try to pass two lanes away where possible, follow at about 100 feet and if I'm still gaining i'm just gonna get over, twice if possible, pass quickly, and give at least 50-100 feet before I merge in front of a truck even if i'm not planning on slowing at all. I've seen the results of many of these crashes, i've read books from insurance adjusters who've seen the results of these accidents, and I'm trying not to go out that way, although it likely wouldn't be the worst way to go cause you'd likely go instantly...but I'm not trying to go before I need to.
Watched some idiot pull up to the right side of a truck as it was making a right turn. He had his right signal on, moved to the left slightly to make space between the trailer and curb, and began his right turn at the same time a Dodge Dakota pulled up to him. That trailer moved that Dakota onto the curb like it was a paper cup.
Think of the truck as 30,000 lbs of steel machinery with God knows who at the controls. It makes sense to limit the amount of time you are near this machinery moving 70mph to the greatest extent possible at all times
Watching car crash videos is a guilty pleasure, but it has also made me more diligent and patient. It has also made me very aware of a trucker's blind spots. Those mirrors on the front help, but they can't fix this issue. It is up to the rest of us to give a respectable distance to truckers and not to linger where they can't see us.
I love PBS Frontline documentaries
They always do a good job on these
You would.
They’re the best I’ve seen on RUclips. Their classic delivery style makes me reminisce watching cable TV documentaries with my dad when I was like 7.
It's great propaganda, absolutely
Just a guess, vote Democrat your whole life ?
As a diesel mechanic I've been around trucks and trailers all my life. The fact of the matter is people drive too fast they have no fear or consideration of the size and weight of the truck in front or around them and they just don't give a damn. Furthermore when youths died from trucks crashes it's no hidden secret that youth today think they're invisible and it can't happen to them. Don't blame the trucks and the truck drivers for the actions of people in four wheels
Every time you hear someone declined to comment in this documentary, just assume the absolute worst and you will generally be more correct than not.
I'm European truck driver with 17 years experience behind the steering wheel. I think that trailers should be much better secured against such accidents. I was involved myself in a accident just like that. A car driven by a 19 years old drunk driver with 3 more passengers crashed in to the end of the trailer of my truck. The car was not behind me traveling in my direction. It came laterally. The direction of movement of the car was perpendicular to mine. The car crashed in and entered absolutely all right between the last axle and the safety iron bumper of the trailer. Because of that the driver and the front passenger were beheaded. Both passengers seating at the back seats survived. This happened 5 years ago and I still have nightmares because of the accident.
Doesn't the EU mandate side bumpers?
@@bishop51807 Yes EU does that. But in the accident I was involved in, the car crushed in the end of the trailer from the left side. And because on the EU trailers the 2 spare tires are installed there, there is no side bumper in this place. 1.5 metres
They might be able to make trailers safer, but people really need to stop driving drunk. You could be pulling no trailer like I was one day in 2001 when a drunk hit me.
@@Bulgarian_Jedi Miro, that just goes to show that no matter how one tries to make something fool proof some fool will hurt or kill themselves anyway. I've driven all over the USA and the vast majority of truck drivers are very courteous and safe. Virtually all of the dangerous and discourteous things I see on the road are by those driving cars. One big problem is that, incredibly to my way of thinking, many people driving cars don't understand that something which weighs 80,000 pounds doesn't slow down as quickly as a car weighing 2,000 pounds does.
@@restorator7 Yes of course. That too. And every single driver operating no matter what kind of vehicle need to know that he is not the only one on that road. There's others. Front from back to side from everywhere. And they can also be just as stupid and presumptuous as he is.
When a company refuses to talk with a news reporter about a topic and refuses it means the company is guilty and is hiding the truth.
I always knew our trailers had underride risks but it really hit me when I went to Europe a few years ago. NONE of their trailers have any sort of gaps that could fit a car and the guards are very robust. That's how it should be here.
It's odd that you mention the European trucks, as I've been to Europe and also look at a lot of videos where at least occasionally European trucks appear. Some have side panels, but from what I've seen it is a minority. In addition the side panels I've seen look more cosmetic and aerodynamic than structural. If Europe imposes side guards, wouldn't you think that the advocates for them here would have mentioned it? I'd think it would be too obvious not to.
False. I've also been all over Europe. Trucks have the same gap. It's even more dangerous there as the roads are far more narrow and traffic is worse. Especially in Paris.
Europe does a lot of things way better than us because they have regulation instead of deregulation
@@gregparrott in the EU a semitrailer without side or back guard rails won't pass the yearly roadworthiness inspection.
Huh? I’m lookin out the window and I saw 5 drive by in the last 5 minutes that look exactly like the American lorries.
Ive been driving trucks for 16+yrs and im telling you this is appalling and sickening. No excuses for this not being taken care of
I have been driving a truck since 1995 after i left the Army. While all of this is good, it may or may not solve the issue. Andy Young could also stand in front of pictures and say; "speeding, texting, putting on make-up, not paying attention, driving impaired/intoxicated, veered from their lane, brake checked truck, cut-off truck to exit, ran red light, ran stop sign, suspended license, no license." The number of reasons are counless. People don't walk up to a pit-bull and punch it in the mouth, but they will act like their s**t doesn't stink around a semi truck, and that is a far bigger problem. Society has a problem with entitlement, and it shows on the road. I experience it maybe 100 times a day. Everybody has the opinion that they are a "good person" until they get behind the wheel. They then proceed to act like an absolute meat-popcicle with disregard for speed-limits, traffic laws, or common courtesy. Police do not inforce much of anything anymore, because they don't want to lose their job over some Karen turning a violation into a world-wide RUclips sensation. People; activists, lawyers, and politicians, always come up with some idea that "only costs $$$ per commercial vehicle" and do not realize the compounding cost of these measures. I am not saying safety is not important. I am saying you could make a truck as safe as a cotton ball, and people will still find a way to kill themselves around it. As for the quality of the driver behind the wheel of the semi, that's a sad story itself. Rules and regulations, plus the astronomical cost of operating a truck has run off 80% of the good ones. Think i am exaggerating? Go and try to buy a new truck and trailer. Permit it; insure it, license it, fuel it, maintain it, pay every tax and toll fee known to man on it. Plus, all of the hidden gems that suck profit and see if trucking is something you would like to stick with. All of the same costs are applicable to trucking companies as well, so they hire anyone they can get their hands on to fill a seat and stay in business. Therefore, you have so many "drivers" that have no business being behind the wheel of a semi. They aren't good drivers and never will be. People claim this is an easy job and that anyone can do it with training. That's total bull****. You have to be scientifically minded and an excellent planner. You need knowledge of angles/geometry; inertia, friction, traction, weight distribution, etc. Plus, and most importantly, you need self-control. I have said a lot here. People may or may not agree with everything. The essence of what i am trying to convey is that we can continue to place all of the blame and onus on the truck because of its size. But until the rest of society grows up and acts with some fraction of integrity and professionalism they expect from the truck driver, the problem will only get worse.
Absolutely 💯...
Totally agree.
I think DOT needs to educate 4-wheelers on how to operate around Big Rigs. In Texas we gotta take a Special Requirements test that's extra for getting a CDL, but the 4-wheeler doesn't.
I kind of wish Quintin Tarantino would make a Death Proof volume Two: Trucker Edition movie, it'd do what JAWS did for swimmers at the Beach, Fear of the big trucks, and hopefully a little respect.
Amen!!!
This video is a bunch of bull, I couldn’t watch all of it.
It's crazy you list all the truth about the unknowns of being a truck operator and no one every thinks of that stuff. Or the list you have to do when running a business with these commercial business trucks. The list is to much to write it all down. I do feel for the families of these lost loved ones and why they want to make the trucking regulations they are asking for. But in reality it's expensive to maintain these safety devices. In this documentary, they didn't talk nor show how expensive it be to replace the safety devices when they where damage in course of an after accident. Like the part where they showed that controlled crash test from the side impact on the trailer. Ya it would probably saved lives but the aftermath of the trailer is what I'm talking about. First the trailer was empty. Let's do a test with the actual weight that would be in real life in that trailer. Then, after the test Let's get a insurance claim adjuster to look at the overall condition of the trailer. Can it still be used on the road safely after the accident. Can it still safely carry the load that is in the trailer during the accident, or does it need to off loaded and put on another trailer to make it's scheduled delivery. See more things people don't think bout when speaking about this matter. Most likely that insurance claim adjuster would deem that trailer inoperable and unsafe for use afterwards. Saying this, that would amount to lots of trailers being lost not to even explain the amount of money during the accident and after the accident these companies will be losing. It's crazy to think all the distracted drivers who causes these accidents want to put blame on the truckers and Commercial companies instead of they wrong doings on the roads. I think it's cuz they know these commercials companies have money and they can win big prizes from them if they can convince other's that they weren't at fault for the accident. Just my opinion and thoughts.
I am a long hauler. PUT YOUR DAMN PHONES DOWN. I see you all , four wheeler drivers . It is absolutely scary . 90% of you are on the phones.
Another point I would like to make is, it should be MANDATORY for every person willing to get a driver’s license , to HAVE to be a passenger in a 18 wheeler. Get educated. The interstate system was intended for commercial use initially. We are here WORKING so you, consumers , get it all in your store shelves. I am sorry, we are not all perfect professional drivers,but, most of us ARE!!!!
If the cost is the biggest issue, the insurance industry should have required the underride protection because they ultimately foot the bill.
They probably don't care because it's built into the price of the insurance premium you pay.
Most accidents where a car hits the rear of a trailer won’t be the trailers fault, so no incentive for ins co to mandate
Insurance companies should require cars to stop speeding too. Maybe govern cars to 65mph
@@FuckTrumpFuckYouIfYouVoted4Himplus at high highway speeds there is much less room for error.
We got onto a 75mph highway in Idaho and it was insane.
The statistics are underreported.
The fact that we get free documentaries from FRONTLINE on RUclips is priceless .... keeping the education and knowledge alive 🙏🙏🙏
Hell yeah!
Bahaha, educating ?... it's full of left leaning propaganda and you may not even know. Look up at the "foundations" who bring you such programs? Who do you think they vote for? Noagenda podcast, your welcome ITM
Well selling shit is hard it’s easier to just give it away for free
It's on PBS FREE every week.
My Grandfather who survived the brutal fighting in the South Pacific against Japan in World War II 1942-1945, was killed on his motorcycle in 1985 when the Semi Truck driver suddenly changed lanes, over an overpass to get on I-64. The Truck was in the right lane, my grandfather was in the left, he had no where to go, he tried to lay the bike down, and the under ride side crash happened when the Motorcycle rolled under the semi truck…. It ran over him crushing him and the motorcycle, rolling over him breaking every bone in his body.
Tray, the post traumatic suffering you &
Your loved ones must still suffer I am so so sorry for your horrific loss.
Those (any), who put $ ahead of lives, GOD WILL JUDGE.
Father, please give Tray & his loved ones comfort from no other source than YOU.
PLEASE TAKE THE STING Bring emotional healing & eternal spiritual life from his grandfathers death
Thank You, LORD.
In Jesus Name -Amen
Sorry for your loss.
When I took a MSF course to get my motorcycle endorsement years ago.
They taught me how to drive around trucks and properly react to the unexpected.
While that may or may not have saved your grandpa's life. I highly recommend MSF and/or all the training you can get for any type of high risk endeavors....be it vroom vroom or bang bang... Or extreme ironing/rock climbing...etc.
Oh my God I'm so sorry, how horrible.
I always look for motorcycles and when i see any.
As a motorcycle rider/infantry man - CHRIST MAN, save us the details. I already have a problem with the trucking industry. They seem to get to use our roads that we pay for in tax, to make their profit and do not have to contribute anything. Also, these are the people that made Rush Limbaugh famous. They are responsible for keeping many tens of tons from crashing into other vehicles and they are generally not the brightest of us.
@@jinimurray4090 Why do you structure your sentences in such a manner, it doesn't make sense. You clearly did it intentionally. Nobody cares what you think your god will do. We have laws and a justice system because most people are aware that your way of thinking is not a deterrent, a promise that your god will punish a wrong-doer is a joke. The laws made by man are much more powerful because they actually contribute to change. Any one person is stronger than your god and the laws you invent yourself.
Go thump your buy-bull somewhere else, adults are talking.
I’ve been driving my truck for 6 months now and in those months, I’ve had countless cars cut infront of me to the point I have to slam on my breaks, even if I give myself more than enough stopping distance. It’s very bad in Atlanta,GA.
this is about the rear and side. not the front. its obvious why you are a "truck driver."
a big issue that NOBODY talks about is the lack of rest areas / overnight parking for trucks. Especially around the big cities where most deliveries are, if you stop after sunset, there is no parking left for big trucks while the parking area for regular cars is almost empty. it feels like a big middle finger given to truckers. it dosen't even have to be pawed, a dirt lot will do. But while there is money for intricate and spacious parks that nobody uses, there is none for dirt lots so truckers can rest, which IS a safety issue
Had nothing to do when the people driving the cars are idiots
So true. I was just thinking about this yesterday. At this point there's "no parking" signs and red curbs in nearly every possible parking spot.
The NIMBYs (not in my back yard) make it hard for most towns and cities to tolerate overnight truck parking. I'm lucky to work a dedicated account where our customer lets us park overnight so it's not a problem I deal with anymore but I'm well aware of what awaits me if I ever go back to national OTR
@Harry__Morgan Sadly The one Rest Area I needed in NC was closed for reasons unknown I guess to force truckers to go to the truck stops that had no place to park.
Even the TA which I finally found didn't even have a sign showing it was there lucky I seen it last minutes 45 minutes from violation.
@Harry__Morgan There actually should be a few such remote parking spots for big trucks as part of the design. It could be safe. The entrance ramps are safer than exits because vehicles are accelerating from slow speeds. On exit ramps sleepy drivers operating at high speed can zero-in on taillights or reflectors and crash into trucks.
As a truck driver, I want our trucks and trailers to be as safe as possible, for everyone out there on the roads!! Justifying that this is too expensive, disappears when your child or family member dies from one of these crashes
One death is way too expensive!
If ya want change, you have to have forced regulations and laws.
But the corporations, who bought and paid off the government officials see only profit and money.
Your lives are meaningless to them, you are nonthing to the corporations of greed
@@scottsherman6889 That is false. They gave the number in the video - anything that costs more than 12 million per life saved will not likely get passed into law.
Saying that: "One death is way too expensive!" is just emotional nonsense, in the real world, there is always a cost benefit analysis - and most people are just not that important. Not nice to say but that is the reality.
Trucks are safe. People in cars are dangerous.
@@sirvilhelmofyonderland there’s always room for improvement and if you don’t think that the ICC bar couldn’t be improved or yhat side guards couldn’t help save people you have your head in the sand.
Wow, Rileys story is tragic. So sad.
I'm a truck driver, well over a hundred thousand miles each year, the vast majority of accidents between trucks and smaller vehicles are caused by the smaller vehicles. The truck accidents get tons of press, because they're big and there's usually fatalities. There are trucks driving too fast as well, there are distracted truckers for sure, but cars are a bigger problem in my opinion. Every day, without fail, I'm cut off by a smaller vehicle, brake checked, I have cars literally pass me on the shoulder at freeway speeds to gain a second. I've had road rage incidents happen in front of me, and they don't pay attention to me at all. People pass me then immediately pull back in front of my truck, people coming onto freeways have no idea how to merge. They're driving too fast, they are driving distracted, they are on phones or watching movies on their laptops, they cut off everybody, then typically they're gone, after they've caused traffic behind them to slow or stop.
Everybody is in a hurry to gain 5 minutes. Fixing trailers needs to happen immediately, but put some blame, and responsibility, and more enforcement, on the smaller vehicles!
@markw.2106
Statistics will back up your comment.
Too many people can not take responsibility for their actions/ mistakes ..
Not to mention that Respect is a thing of the past.
Truck drivers love 🥰💓🫀🩸 tailgating.
Can't have an accident without getting too close to something.
I don't get why people act the way they do. I always go out of my way to help out truckers. I'm just travelling, but truckers are doing their job.
Don't ever make it harder for someone who's just trying to do their job.
While “I” (as a nonexpert) think there should be safety improvements what you say is true. I see it every day!
Truthfully, far too many people suck at driving and they suck at caring about the impact of their actions.
Just had a 22 year old, Evan Dennison, who graduated two months ago, killed after hitting the back of a tractor trailer. Thoughts and prayers for Evan and his family and friends. He was a drum major in the UVA marching band.
This happening everyday everywhere. When a semi is stopped, it’s a huge hazard. A stationary steel building now randomly placed in or next to a high speed corridor. There needs to be better warning devices on the back of these trailers such as bright flashing lighting. The crash has to be prevented to save people.
@@HerlongianOr you know the person driving the car could pay attention to the road? I’ve been driving for 30 years and hundreds of thousands of miles and managed to not cause an accident. You have one job while driving-pay attention.
@@landkruiser1095 Glad to hear that. But all it takes is one mistake by someone else (say an incident like 15:50) and it's out of your hands. It doesn't matter how safe YOU are. It matters how safe everyone else around you is.
Having your close relative in an accident is the worst feeling ever.
Last year my sister was involved in an accident. It was the darkest day of my life
A fully loaded tractor trailer is 40 tons. Big wheels and big breaks doesn’t mean it stops on a dime. Physics people. Leave them space!
Out where I spend most my driving time, there are a lot of trucks north of 60 tons. You can do that when you’re running with seven or more axles.
This kid didn't do anything wrong. What is wrong with you?
@@christinecampbell7301 it’s called FAFO, look it up. Well over 90% of accidents including a motor vehicle and a tractor trailer is the fault of the individual in the motor vehicle. I don’t have a whole lot of sympathy for stupid drivers anymore after years of driving on the nations highways.
The number one problem is that at the end of the day, there is a CEO who wants all the money possible, regardless of the loss of lives; only if their friends/family and/or loved ones are killed in similar circumstances will they change their perspectives.
Companies will never change or be held accountable unless they are legally forced to. Capitalism is the key culprit
Yeah, it's ONLY 17 million lives. What's that compared to profits?
Nailed it.
The CEO is merely a tool used to perform a goal for the company, chiefly increasing profits for shareholders. That's his function, just as the drivers, trucks, merchandise, roadways and regulatory enforcement are all tools.
I'm not saying CEOs are blameless but "Them dern greedy CEOs sure are awful, am I right?" doesn't help anything.
Not to say that greed isn't a big problem, but to me the number one problem is America's obsession with roads. Loading interstate freeways with goods vehicles is madness for many reasons. Of course you will always need some, but putting the goods on trains and taking the trucks off the roads will make it safer and greener.
I'm a "career coach" aka a trainer for a large US carrier. And I've failed the last 4 students I've had on my truck for unsafe driving. I'm 28 years old and the students getting on my truck are 21-25 years old and ADDICTED to their cell phones. I've taken videos of them using their phones while driving and have faced immense pressure from my company to look the other way and ignore the dangerous behavior. I have refused and I'm afraid I'm about to be fired for not "playing ball" I was just bribed with a $2,000 bonus on my last paycheck as a "performance bonus" but told by my supervisor to please help the company out and "get these new drivers into there own truck" I'm done with this profession and sickened with the lack of regulation on a federal level. It's abhorrent and gross how easiky the politicians and corporations are willing to gamble with innocent life for profit. I am left feeling disallusioned and ashamed.
My mother was involved in a accident with a tri axle dump truck. She lost her life. One never knows. Great presentation. Thank you P.B.S.
I'm sorry ❤ hope your doing okay😊
Sorry for your loss, but this garbage "reporting" is why we don't communicate. It's total propaganda, I drove for 20 years in a Semi. Everything they said is 100% skewed reporting. Sorry, it just isn't real.
@@jjoosneaphh What is not real? Maybe what's not real is you being a truck driver.
Every comment from a real commercial driver says it's accurate, but you say 100% fake. Bet you just hate PBS because someone told you to.
I'm very sorry
Ever notice how erratic dump trucks drive on the highways...not all but the majority
Like I said, pay truckers by the hr, not by the load or mile!
I’m an instate trucker in Arizona, yes trailers could be configured differently for safety purposes. But the real problem is those pulling trailers or campers that are not subject to D.O.T. regulations and are very inexperienced at pulling heavy loads. I constantly have four wheelers pull out in front of me or pass me on the shoulder or pass me just to slow down in front of me, and of course the distracted driver unbelievably dangerous. Pay attention and always remain focused and utilize anticipation and discernment and keep a safe following distance.
what about the ones who don't know whether to speed up or slow down right next to you? then you go to pass them and they speed up🤣
I take it you drive on US 95 and AZ 72 between Lake Havasu and Vicksburg, and on the 93 as well.
@@frankmendez323 yerp! the human factor is sooo dangerous, i.e avg human intelligence & /or attentional mental systems abilities. I looong for automated driving for avg ppl.
thank u for this excellent point! THIS is the key issue in the american context, bar none! Compared to hazards of 18wheelers, there's no comparison statistically. So, states need to do far better at regulating and requiring education and/or insurance co's i guess could require it.
I'm getting sick and tired of hearing truckers complain about drivers. Y'all do dangerous crap all the time. Y'all think y'all own the road.
I've been driving a truck for 15 years and am approaching 2 million non-preventable accident free miles. I add that caveat because I've been involved in 3 accidents (and countless near misses) caused by the cars around me doing dumb s**t. The most recent one had a lady enter the highway I was on and immediately start merging left 4 lanes over before running into the side of my trailer. While looking over her RIGHT shoulder having a conversation with her passengers. Had she been maybe half a second faster she and her pax would've been dead under my trailer. Lucky for her she hit my wheels and destroyed them along with her shi**y car and lived to lie about it to the cops (and get arrested for reckless driving and DUI). And that's just 1 of the 3 wrecks I've been involved in... all with similar levels of dumbassery involved. The bottom line is you can't protect people from their own poor decisions and despite opinions to the contrary the majority of us ARE safe professional drivers trying to get from A to B safely.
100% correct. The biggest problem, the biggest danger by far is dumbazz car drivers. This program is mainly just a calculated, preemptive public relations show to sway public opinion for soon-to-be-approved, additional government regulations. It's very coordinated and timed as a PR move for Petey B. He's just another ambitious careerist politician.
Maybe so, but there are examples of truck drivers also not driving correctly in this video and the result is that innocent people who did nothing wrong are now dead and their families are grieving. There are bad drivers everywhere and with a car you can maneuver to avoid their stupidity. It's a bit more difficult to do with a monster of a truck with few safety features.
@Michilar few safety features? With all due respect you don't know what you're talking about. Maybe do some research instead of making assumptions. Start with Crash Mitigation Systems currently installed as standard equipment on commercial vehicles. You'd be surprised. And while you're at it, look at traffic violation rates and accident rates per million miles for cars versus the same for trucks and busses. Again the results might surprise you but not anyone even remotely involved in the trucking industry.
@@Michilar By far the real problem is moronic drivers of cars, not the truck drivers. This whole piece is not based on FACTS, not based on statistics, but rather based on MANIPULATION and FEAR. This is what careerist bureaucrats do to pass more legislation, more control. Secretary Petey-boy would do well to actually get the F out of the DC confirmation bias chamber and actually spend a day in a big truck in a big city.
This has nothing to do with this documentary. They're not claiming cars are never at fault. They're not blaming truckers. Theyre simply saying these changes to the trucks could save lives but the trucking industry as a whole wont make those changes because $$$$. Why so defensive about that?
Here's a helpful tip,stay off your phone when you're supposed to be driving.
No reason to blame a truck for your irresponsibility.
This was very eye opening. I had honestly never thought about these kind of crashes
I agree.
I have heard things about how dangerous they are, but nothing this conclusive has been really shown.
@None None Sems like such an obvious danger now that I see it. I'm kind of amazed it never occurred to me before
Me either now I don't know if I want to stay in ignorance is bliss mood. lmao
These accidents are on the rise every year...because lawmakers have insisted on smaller, lighter and cheaper cars because petroleum is bad.
@nobody special Name one case where lawmakers have pushed "smaller, lighter or cheaper cars"
Keep in mind, EV's far outweigh gas powered cars.
This was always one of my biggest worries as a truck driver. Even with all of the mirrors and sensors new trucks have on them, there are still many blind spots and with the aggressiveness of some drivers out there, i was always worried about someone getting caught under my trailer. Some other BIG issues today is people (both truckers and cars) is impatience and most of all CELL PHONES. While OTR i would always see probably 9 out of 10 people driving with a phone in their hands. Glad i left the industry. Too stressful nowadays.
I’ve only watched a few minutes of this but, there is way too much distracted driving going on and people who don’t care about anyone else on the road but themselves!
Agreed. It pisses me off when I see these dumb people with the phones reading and texting while driving…
Everyone is hauling ass on their phones cutting truckers off, tailgaiting, swerving lanes, thinking they're fast and the furious, but it's the truckers fault
@@nathane2243 yeah that has really gotten out of hand.
One thing I hate more then people being on their phones on the road is those who are speeding and swerving on the road! Pisses me off when I see that. 😤
As a dispatcher at a trucking co for almost 10 years now this doc was extremely eye-opening and alarming to me. This is an issue I've never thought twice about up until now. Thank you for bringing attention to this matter. This makes me want to explore the issue further in hopes that I can help insure the safety of my drivers and the public as a whole.
I truly appreciate it 🙏 most dispatcher's are jerks
@@coreybabcock2023 I know how stressful being on the road all day (plus all of the other details of the job) can be for my guys. I always tell them, I'm there to help them along the way throughout the day and to never ever hesitate to call me. Sure, I tell them where to go-but any bumps occur along the way, I'm ALWAYS there to assist. And many drivers have become like family to me over the years.
@emokoala Can I sniff your feet?
This documentary basically says that the problem is truck drivers and 4 wheelers are at no fault, the accident that started this whole documentary was the fault of the kid driving the car.
@@edmunger5595 i mean it is their fault for not pushing for increased safety just following orders and being complicit isnt an excuse. so many paid shills these days on the internet trying to twist the narrative. yes the majority of people speaking out against shit hardcore is usually a paid shill hired by one of the many many many front companies that get to claim they aint attached to the parent company but lobby or sway public opinion the same way commercials on tv used to do it.
Truck driver here ..please ..stay away from us as best as traffic allows ..do your best to get in front or to the rear of a moving truck and trailer ..so many things can cause potential deadly encounters ..
..I’m so sorry for Riley ..and other deaths ..that have occurred as a result of trucker and trailer encounters ..
I remember a documentary on this exact issue 35 years ago. Back then it was associated with an effort to require underride guard on the back of all trailers.
Rear ICC Bumpers have been US Law.. required.. since 1977.
Yep. Now it appears they are wanting guard rails all around the trailers.
@@inthedarkwoods2022 I almost think it would be more fun to require cars to have bumpers that match truck height..
My uncle was a truck driver for 20ish years before he switched to working the dock. Soon as I started driving he taught me never EVER ride beside a semi. The tires can blow out and the driver won’t have a clue about it. I always give a wide berth to them, I’ll give way and let them in while in traffic. 90% of the time there doing the speed limit and know the road so I don’t mind to sit there and cruise with a few of them, if they start slowing down I know there’s a reason
Thank you for your service
And then there’s the 10% that drive 30mph faster than anyone else there’s nothing scarier than seeing a semi driving 90mph getting bigger in your rear view mirror.
Blowouts occur on ALL vehicles... you can't blame truck drivers & the trucking industry for mechanical failures... blowouts occur for myriad reasons, not just neglect, which is clearly what your implying. The fact is, ALL vehicles should create & maintain safe following distances & speeds with ALL other vehicles, not just big rigs. The sheer size disparity alone should be enough to inform better & safer driving habits among drivers of 4-wheel vehicles especially. Truck drivers are held to unrealistically high standards while drivers of non commercial passenger vehicles are under no such scrutiny. Therein lies the imbalance & bias. They're allowed to travel at higher speeds in dangerously close proximity to slower moving & much larger vehicles. And yet, think it's their right to do so without consequence. Sorry, but a staggeringly wide majority of accidents with semis & traffic fatalities in general are cause by drivers of 4-wheel vehicles themselves.
@@mwood1012 I agree 100% that blowouts happen with all vehicles and I’m not blaming or implying that it’s truck drivers/companies faults.. The point that my uncle who originally drilled it into my head is that (from his experience and his colleagues) if the back right tire blows out on the trailer there’s a good chance that the driver won’t realize that it happened because they can’t see it. On the rare occasion that I pass a truck I double/triple/quadruple check to make sure the driver sees me in his mirror and I will only pass on the left. And I know the unrealistic expectations that truck drivers are held to and that most accidents involving a semi is the fault of the 4-wheel vehicle driver. I’ll always trust a driver of a big rig 10000% more than some random joe in a car
@@TheSjuris most trucks are physically impossible to willingly go that fast. Most of the time if a truck is going 30mph faster than traffic then they are 1) fully loaded (often overweight as companies are willing to pay the fine than to send another truck) 2) coming down a hill (think mountains and interstates or 3) having massive and I mean MASSIVE mechanical problems. Coming down a mountain fully loaded they have no choice of how fast they go because of gravity and physics
I’m a professional driver, I was involved in a fatality accident when a woman blew a stop sign and pulled out right in front of me. It still pains me to this day even though I wasn’t at fault!
Dont feel bad your just weeding out the stupid.
Statistically that's the normal at 70% plus that are caused by cars. It's senseless, distracted, incompetent and unsafe car drivers daily causing staggering accident rates
Let that shit go driver. She made her choice that day. Unfortunately she paid for that choice with her life. She did not value her life,cause if she did,she would have stopped. Let it go driver, let it go. It was not your fault.
This exact same incident happened to me one night in Arkansas. Luckily, I saw he was gonna run it and slowed the truck to a stop (small country road, nobody behind me) and I laid on the horn. He stopped in the middle of the road, scared to death. It was a small Arkansas town. It was the middle of the night and he was probably on the way to the store as we were headed to refuel ourselves. It shook me up so much, I wanted to quit right then and there, saying when I got to the terminal in Oklahoma City, I was done. Driving partner said 'thats stupid. It wasn't your fault he ran a stop sign.'
The safety team reviewed the footage. 'Excellent job out there. You did everything right.'
Yeah, but the realization that that would have killed him was something I couldn't stand. It kept me awake night after night. Replaying the moment in my mind and seeing it all over again. I eventually quit with my buddy agreeing to do the same.
I still have the drive cam video. The fear of a crash scared me to no end. If one happened, and some horrible tragedy happened .. I wouldn't be able to ever live with that.
I miss travel. The truck was even comfortable. I miss the sound of the reefer when sleeping. But, glad I don't do it anymore.
And, they will give a CDL to anybody these days.
The Industry is incredibly flawed. The trucks in the US are incredibly dangerous. I'm glad this documentary was made.
@@chrispaul1141 💯🙌💯🙌
But you are ignoring the fact that the majority of truck vs car accidents are caused by the car driver. People just refuse to take responsibility for their safety and drive safely and quit speeding. Most of the time it’s the car drivers fault and they cut off the truck
Investigative journalists are heroes.
*Heroes
Until they do stories on Democrats…
I have extreme respect for semis, mostly because I value my life so much. Always let them in, give them space, do the light thing when they pass you; brights then back to regular so they know they can pull back into your lane. Always be very aware when they are close to you on the road and basically keep distance from them.
I have been reading and hearing that trucks are causing more and more accidents and fatalities due to incompetent, inattentive, drugged or drunk drivers. Or texting drivers. It's getting worse.
Please be careful on the roads everybody. Try to stay away from trucks, especially if they seem to be moving erratically.
It's cause of the Saudi Hindi towel types driving
I don’t. They drive so crazy nowadays.
Please do not use your brights! It blinds us as we are looking in the mirror to see we are clear. Off on thank you
If you think trucks are scary you should see how bad 4 wheelers are at driving or worse RVs and moving trucks wich are just regular joes with no special training in huge vehicles. sleep well and please stop blinding me with yer high beams.
Turn your lights off for a split second. Stop blinding us. I know you're trying to help, but it's extremely annoying when you get blinded
As a 34 year OTR driver (retired) I can personally mention that the industry has gone downhill at a record pace. Glad I’m out of it!
Care to give more details on the nature of this downward spiral?
Deregulation caused massive turnover and low pay. Carriers now have up to 150% annual turnover of their drivers. To keep the trucks rolling they implement a "meat in the seat" mentality. Some will literally hire anyone who can fog a mirror. The old professional drivers are almost gone from the industry as they're retiring. It will be interesting to see how they keep meat in the seat. Indentured servants perhaps?
@@nicksonkosi We have less time for delivery, a lot more regulations***, pay isn't keeping up with economy, expenses are getting out of control, people are a lot crazier, theft/kidnapping/murder/crime is way up, insurance con jobs, harassment/citations from dirty law enforcement, companies hiring to many ex-cons, immigrants, people who dont belong behind the wheel, to name a few.
High driver turnover, unpaid waiting times at shippers & receivers. Dispatch sitting behind a desk in another state, pushing a diver to hurry.
Lots of young foreign drivers entering the truck driving vocation. They have a different value.
Basically foreign drivers don’t give a shit. Just go, go. Stopping on the shoulder to take a piss, or 10 hour break.
@@nicksonkosi drivers are paid by the mile. There is mostly no pay for the long hours spent at docks. The ELDs keep you in check every single minute. Thus limiting your driving time cause you’re basically sitting around at docks. At the end of a 80-90 hour work week your pay is equivalent to 40 hours at a factory or a gas station. Hence the 150% driver turnover. Plus numerous other serious issues that face the driver. I’ve only scratched the surface.
I didn't watch this video no need to I drove trucks for 45 years and every day was filled trying to avoid accidents with careless drivers in 4 wheelers,yes there are some poor truck drivers but they are vastly outnumbered by idiots in cars,I don't think it will ever change until the average person starts driving a little better.
I remember Jayne Mansfield's death, everyone was horrified at what happened. I'd thought the rear bars that were later put on trucks, would prevent similar. Rather shocked to be seeing this report in 2023 - 56 freaking years later!!!!
Mansfield bars, pretty gruesome wreck,
You can't hang a bumper off the bottom of a trailer that covers the whole back end of a trailer that will stop a car moving more than 15 or so mph without being ridiculously expensive and heavy.
Also, the driver of the vehicle that Jayne Mansfield was traveling in, was intoxicated, and unconscious when they struck the rear of the semi. Now, I have driven semi trucks for 43.5 years, now retired, and it's those type of incidents that gave the trucking industry the type of bad image they received. Yes, we as an industry do have issues and many thousand of bad actors( individuals driving that have no business behind the wheel or in control) of commercial motor vehicles, and mainly most are unscrupulous foreign operated companies, which are one step ahead of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and the D.O.T. operating illegally and do so until a major accident occurs, then Federal action is taken, but back to my point, the laws pertaining to motor vehicle operations in all 48 continuous states, reads, if you the operator of any motor vehicle, strikes any other vehicle from behind, YOU, the operator are at fault. Now, of course, everyone will get on the defensive, and slam my opinion, which is ok, but do yourself a favor, and re read your motor vehicle laws handbook again. I don't think THAT law has changed in 50+ years.
Yes, it appears that the "Mansfield Bar" is there for decoration only. Might as well be made out of balsa wood! lol Glad that her kids (in the back seat) survived!!
It doesn’t matter what the trailers are made of. A car goes under a trailer or wrecks with a semi it’s going to be bad. And the guy who lost his son in the beginning of the documentary, he made it sound like that driver could save his son and just chose to sit there and watch. Don’t put that on the driver. There wasn’t anything he could do for his son. I feel bad for the dad but still
Technically could have been worse if the diesel in the tractor caught on fire because it burns hotter. But gas fires are harder to put out because of the vapors burning as well
I like to think I would have dumped a fire extinguisher into the wreck, at least you can face the dad while holding an empty extinguisher. Holding a full one means I didn't even try.
I agree, it seemed like an unnecessary & unfair swipe at the driver. However, the point still remains that side guards probably would have stopped the car from going under the truck. I have empathy for the father and also the driver.
We should just make trucks out of marshmallows and cars outta cotton balls
If you would have used the fire extinguisher it would not have saved him. That’s horrible blaming the trucker that the kid ran into.
As a truck driver i admit i only hope to survive 2 more years until i retire . While over 90 percent of truck accidents are caused by cars , government fact , two many truck drivers are becoming just as bad as the car drivers . All i want to do is survive 2 years . I'm constantly cut off by cars . Cars are constantly slamming on their brakes in front of trucks . Cars are driving way to fast while playing on phones not paying attention to traffic . In Orlando i had a guy run a red light and if not for the side skirts on my trailer, preventing him from going under my trailer , he would have murdered his whole family .
As a side note my side skirts on the trailer are flexible . The problem with the side guards they show here have clearence issuse on railroad crossings but also at a lot of warehouses with sloped loading docks . The side gaurds aren't the problem but the national highway infrastructure can't accommodate them .
I thought about doing it but this is what made me say hell no
Man, you are not lying. Even in my personal vehicles, I see so-call 4-wheelers driving absolutely insane. Not all, but too many do.
I suggest even noncommercial drivers should also be retested, when renewing their driver's license. Because I see so many that drive poorly - don't know how to merge and yield to right-of-way; roll through stop signs when a semi is close; cut-off in traffic and immediately breaking and do it a lot in bumper-to-bumper traffic; tailgating is constant I see. But I don't really know of law enforcement stopping 4-wheelers for that and brake checking.
A dash camera is a must! I advise many people, whether 4-wheeler or commercial trucks, etc. Those devices help you and can provide protection also.
@@2cool460 I have two dashcams in my truck . I worked for a company that had an 80 percent at fault for accidents. Within a year of installing dashcams we went to under 20 percent at fault because people could no longer lie about how the accidents occurred.
Petey, would you say the roads have gotten progressively worse over your time and experience as a trucker?
@@sgrafx I've seen lots of roads get better while other roads are getting worse . The roads have gotten more dangerous due to traffic though . It's mostly passenger vehicles but I have seen trucks being driven by more poorly trained drivers too though .
Common sense has to prevail in life. Everything that is around you can be harmful. if it is abused. People need to drive responsibly to begin with. And they don't . An 18 wheeler has as much right to be on that road as a 4 wheeler.
I had one of these accidents myself as a teenager. The truck ran a stop sign coming off the interstate and I ran under him. Thankfully I was in a taller truck and the dash stopped me from going completely under. It was terrifying.
You couldn’t see an entire semi coming your way?
I saw a car going 40mph in a split second and then it smashed into another car.
I have a feeling it was you who ran the stop sign.
@@onekerri1 I went under the side of the truck as it came off of the interstate. I didn’t have a stop sign to run, and no I couldn’t see it, in road design perfection here, there is a bridge right before the exit, you come under the bridge into the exit lane. This was a big problem at the time that caused many accidents in this spot.
@@2Years2Farm these truck drivers drive like maniacs. Driving through OUR city like they own it. Forcing us into other lanes, purposely riding ass and not letting people merge, then act like big babies when they need to merge. Always riding in the left two lanes even tho they kno they're not suppose to. Slowing down i-75/i-71 all because they want to race each other up the hills, so they take up all 4/5 lanes of the highway because they're impatient with one another. Slowing the highway down to 20 mph. Dam truckers!!!!
@@deanneparis8888 these truckers are trying to blame YOU for the wreck because you didn't see the semi and KNOW it was about to run a stop sign. Haha. They're just crappy truck drivers themselves. That's all. Haha.
When I'm driving I stay far away from semi trucks.
They can't see you.
They're working hard to deliver cargo.
The laws of physics will crush you in your dinky puny car if you're too close.
So stay away.
Like I do.
Sometimes you don't always have a choice especially if there's alot of traffic. I drive around semi's all the time due to the highway I have to take to commute to and from my residence. I can't tell you how many times I've seen semi's cut other drivers off even though that car wasn't in their blindspot and was in clear view. I've seen great truck drivers and horrible truck drivers. It all comes down to how little the truck driver cares.
I try. Wish trucks had their own roads or at least their own lanes they had to stay in.
@@hdon8190 slowing your own car down is a great way to get away from trucks because they're always hell bent for leather (as the song Rawhide goes).
Very telling documentary. Who's really in control? Seems lobiests are.
*Lobbyist.
What you don't mention is the DOT statistic that of the accidents you mentioned 75% of traffic fatalities with semi trucks, are the result of car drivers doing something they arent suppsed to be doing while driving. STOP TELLING ONE SIDE OF THE STORY.
I drive trucks with heavy loads so im slow on the road and everyone around me do the dumbest stuff trying to get around me both cars and trucks... if the speed limit is 70 do 70 not 90 trucks stay in the granny lane until there is no vehicles in the left then pass. I salute the people who stay behind me while im climbing a hill at 30 mph instead of shooting around and cutting me off. Saw plenty on the road and not all trucks are dangerous some 4 wheelers have some blame as well
I think mainly the non professional drivers are the problem. I always give as much space and courtesy to trucks. Climbing hill give them room let them out in traffic and not slow momentum. Everyone could use a little courtesy
Exactly
I like to drive slow. Money is in reliability not speed in my world.
Everyone is hauling ass on their phones cutting truckers off, tailgaiting, swerving lanes, thinking they're fast and the furious, but it's the truckers fault
@@twt000 people have poor time management, always in a hurry, putting everyone else at risk
I've been hit three times while legally parked. The first one went to jail and the other two filed suits which were dismissed. The last one even became angry because I took pictures of him lifting a heavy case from the truck and walking around uninjured. He also left the scene in the car of whomever he called instead by ambulance yet wanted money for medical bills. Made me think he hit me on purpose. Neither of the suit filers knew one of my duties on active duty was photographing accident scenes.
I hope he got in trouble
Speaking as a trucker myself, this industry is incredibly unsafe. many of my fellow “professional” drivers are as distracted as the car drivers they complain about. that, combined with how long trucks have become since deregulation in 1980 & the massive push to run faster & longer for less money means that safety is no longer a consideration for the industry & its drivers. massive federal oversight & regulation is needed to quell this problem
Very unsafe when you have drivers out here angry at the state the industry is in barely making the money needed to support themselves and their families
OMG😢
It's very nerve wracking for me to see 2 or 3 53' trailers being pulled along by just one truck. I
As a CDL holder, a former truck owner operator, a machinist mate on a U.S. Ballistic Missile submarine and a retired funeral director/embalmer my heart breaks for the families that have lost anyone under these circumstances, this is preventable. I am certain that anyone driving commercially would be in favor of anything that would prevent them from being involved with such an accident. This is one of many issues involving truck transport that needs to be addressed with common sense rule making and the political/monetary concerns should be a non issue. There is no calculus that balances a thousand dollars worth of materials, fabrication and installation with the loss of human life
It isn't just commercial vehicles that cause underrun/overrun crashes. The number of lifted pickups-- especially 3/4 and 1 ton -- that are on the roads is increasing. The mismatch between their bumpers and the average passenger car is incredibly dangerous.
There are laws in most states with a maximum bumper height but its no longer being enforced.
There are laws in some states that limit lifts, bumper height, and frame height. I doubt it's enforced very strictly though. Don't think too many states have them either.
But nobody wants to talk about that because pickup truck owners don't carry 2 million dollar insurance policies!!!!!!! Everybody's after semi trucks everybody hates semi trucks because they want that semi truck to give them a trip down easy street and an early retirement! Trucks don't kill people. People kill people. Had a car today pass me on the fucking curb while I was making a right turn she was in my blind spot and she was going to let me hit her ass too. Guess what? There was a big ass dip in the rain gutter my tires were about to go down into and her car was about to go under my trailer. If that happened and my wheels dropped down a foot in that gutter she'd be crushed. I stopped in time because she was in my blind spot but I saw her in my right hood mirror. I got out truck and cussed her ass out and she was looking like she was disappointed. I took pic of her tag and called the law on her have them her tag number too.
Little white men need to bolster their self esteem. Let's leave that alone.
Bruh, I'm in a pickup on bigger wheels, yet I could be overtaken by these huge lifted trucks!
My cousin's 2 children were killed in 1994 and I believe it was an underride crash. My heart still breaks.
So many of the people posting comments (as always) are liars spreading anti-America, pro-Marxism/ Socialism comments.
I drive commercial Class A and I can say most of the time theses accidents are the results of how the cars around us have been driving. Now I know there are bad commercial drivers out there but more times than not it's the fault of the car being impatient around the larger slower truck. Just today as I write this I had over 20 incidents where cars cut me off so close that my collision alarm sounded (New trucks have a VADA sensor on the nose). More needs to be done to enforce safe driving laws in ALL 50 states. Drivers need to be cited and possibly suspended for aggressive driving which has become a serious problem lately. All you drivers out there need to understand that everyone, non-commercial & commercial alike have ALL the same rights to ALL lanes. Be patient.. it takes us a little longer to make a pass than your car. Most commercial trucks are speed limited to 65-70mph and cannot speed up for you.
Exactly! They can make all the laws and regulations against commercial vehicles they want. However, nothing will change until they hold these motorists responsible and give stiffer penalties for reckless driving.
As a driver that had a side under ride car go under my trailer that was stopped because he was running with no lights on at night there is a need to educate car drivers to be safer around trucks. Better under ride protection with all drivers driving safer is what is needed.
The trucks aren't dangerous. Its the people driving cars around them that are dangerous.
Ugh, I’m a truck driver and most truck drivers out there just want to be safe. Are there bad drivers who shouldn’t have cdl’s? Absolutely and it’s getting worse. A lot of drivers come over here from other countries, which is fine, but they bring bad habits and many don’t speak or read English which is incredibly dangerous as the country is littered with very helpful signs. Most truck drivers try to keep a safe following distance, are in governed trucks (I can only top out at 68 mph) and try to gauge what all the four wheelers out there are going to do. I don’t know how many times I’ve had cars cut me off because they were about to miss their exit or slam on their breaks when I’m yanking 45,000 lbs down the interstate but it takes a lot of space for trucks to come to a complete stop. Also factor in that 8 out of 10 4 wheelers are staring at their phones when they blow by me speeding in the right lane and that just makes it more dangerous. There are a lot of good truck drivers out there that just want to do their job, make a living and get back home after months on the road safely, their safety and the public’s safety. But like I said, there’s some that shouldn’t have CDLs but there’s just as many drivers of 4 wheelers that shouldn’t have there license either. This isn’t just all on the truck drivers, not the good, responsible ones anyway…..
im more worried about all these ghetto blacks i see driving
And then there's California who wants to let 18-21 year olds drive without a CDL.
@@LastExile1989 worry about the blks in cali
@@LastExile1989 Well hell, here in Indiana, we let gets start driving at 16 without a CDL. Actually, I do believe a lot of states do............ 🤷♂
Thank you for your service.
The funniest thing is no truck driver was interviewed for this documentary yet truck drivers are at the center of this whole documentary. Shoddy journalism. As a truck driver in the US for years, there are 2 things that can come out from installing the under 'safety' guard. A car hits the guard, bounces of into other lanes and cars causing multiple injuries/casualties. Second, the car hits the trailer, the shock is absorbed by the trailer causing the driver to loose control of an 80,000+ pound truck travelling at 70MPH, imagine the carnage, how many people and cars will be plowed into. This documentary is just playing into emotions. Death from an accident is catastrophic but lets not act like we don't know the attitude of car drivers towards truck drivers on American highways or like every accident involving a truck, the truck driver is always at fault. Truck drivers are professionals who drive for hours and hundreds of miles everyday and they don't go causing crashes everywhere. Safety starts with every driver. People should take personal responsibilities, keep clear off a semi truck, don't drive alongside one, don't be on the drivers blindside, don't race a semi or try to cut it off. Truck drivers know if while driving at speed and a car jumps a red light and crosses your path, you don't slam on the brakes or swerve to avoid the collision, otherwise, you loose control of the 80K lbs missile and instantly put a lot more people in danger, you just plow through that car. They jumped a red light, why put other innocent civilians you included because someone's inattention? People, safety starts with you. Stay safe out there. Be kind to fellow drivers!
FACTS brother FACTS. P.B.S. has entirely lost its appeal with me.
It's a far leftist agenda and very clearly biased on in this episode for example.
TRUCKERS ARE THE TOP 1% OF THE NECESSARY ROTATING COG THAT OPERATES THIS COUNTRY!,
I'M NOT A TRUCKER BUT UNLIKE SOME PEOPLE I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH WHAT'S CALLED "!!!COMMON SENSE!!!"
EVERY SINGLE OPERATION IN THIS COUNTRY, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BIBLE THAT I ORDERED, THROUGH THE MAIL, THAT GOT DELIVERED FOR MY PRAYERS....
"WAS 99.99%" AT SOME POINT INSIDE AN 18-WHEELER OR SEMI!! TO GET "the shipment to my house" IN ONE WAY SHAPE OR FORM TO "ME!!!"
In the distant and not so distant future I can't picture a train pulling up in my backyard to drop off goods lol :-)
Some of the hardest workers on planet Earth, that make this country run are the "VERY IMPORTANT ROLE OUR TRUCKERS PLAY!!"
. Without guys like you, all these little whiners about their feelings getting hurt would be left in the dust.
Truth... I've only had bad experiences with FedEx double trailer drivers. All other truckers have been very courteous!
@@Jiraiyashouse666 now that you mentioned that specific example, I TOTALLY AGREE with you!!
In the state that I live in those double and triple trailers are not legal to drive here.
Looking at that situation from traveling a lot across the country, personally, those doubles and triples and I've seen the actual The few times I seen FedEx as well!
They are straight dangerous sometimes!!. I don't know the qualifications for driving one of those. I would hope that it is a higher set of standards.
But you also have to take into consideration that these people who drive for massive corporate companies like that, are held to a completely crazy standard and really straight time frames for their cargo.
My friend owns his own trucking company, and he started with FedEx. Also some other similar company that was a dominating corporate market.
I was in a blizzard in the mountains between West Virginia and Virginia and these guys in double trailers FedEx in particular, we're still doing 70 in the snowstorm lol!
They didn't appear to be out of control, but holy crap! I could never in a million years handle a rig like that. A good point.
But all conversations and personal feelings about terrible tragedy unless that have to do with truckers, look up the statistics on how many people like PBS tries to make out were murdered by careless truckers lol 😇🤣
And after you see the real statistics, look out the statistics for how many people are in fatal crashes in high speeds with SUVs, cars, etc.
The difference is shocking yet PBS doesn't tell their fan base that.
It's nice to see some advocates who not only drive but provide the necessity for our country's economy going to bed on this post "!!!🚛🚛🚚🙌😤💪🚚🚛🚛🚚👍👏!!"
"!!"😤🤔🤯🤣🤑🙄🙄🚂🚂🚝🚅🚄🚂🚂!!👎👎🤜👎👎👇👎👎
I really didn't see that truck drivers are at the center of this documentary at all. But then I'm not a trucker so I had no reason to take it personally. The greed of the company bigwigs and their lobbyists are at the center of it, protecting their profits at all cost. Capitalism at its finest. Investigating corporate and political greed and corruption is what Frontline is known for, and that's what this doc points to. Change has to come from the top but it rarely does. I do agree though that they really should've interviewed some truckers with differing perspectives.
For my part as a car driver I always stay well behind _all_ vehicles on the highway and if I must pass a semi truck I pass as quickly as possible on the left and then merge back into the right only after the trucker is well behind me. And I usually pray in my own way before and during the trip even though I'm not religious. 😅👍😇🙏
Trucking industry would much rather spend money on lawyers than a safer trailer design 🤷🏻♂️ Wtf is wrong with them?
Its 'merica
Now let’s make a documentary about the thousands of ignorant and distracted drivers on 4 wheels who cause a majority of these accidents across the country
As a truck driver I truly believe that they should separate the trucks away from regular cars. Truck lanes only. Most of the highways have only two lane roads. Not good at all no room for escape.
Since 1980 truckers have lost HALF their pay while everybody else got pay raises. The treatment of drivers by dispatchers and companies, shippers and receivers is HORRIBLE. As long as ONLY drivers are being held accountable nothing will change. If you want to improve these types of accidents you HAVE to hold companies accountable. The only people who drive now are either life longers who know nothing else, people who REALLY love the open road, and the massive majority are people who have no other choice. Take those people who have no other choice and mix them with a super easy licensing tests for CDLs, and add to the fact that drivers live in what is basically a large closet, forced to work 70 hours a week, and thanks to ELDs many drivers HAVE to drive while sleepy and you get this. If shipping companies were forced to pay better you would get better drivers and instead what you have is the average CDL driver only makes around 42,000 a year while doing 70 hours a week while being treated like trash by the companies. When companies are actually held accountable for the drivers they hire the quality of drivers will improve. PAY BETTER AND HOLD COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE AND STOP TARGETING ONLY THE DRIVERS. As for the under ride deaths, many trailer manufacturers are already putting aero kits under the trailers now and if you added guards behind that you would prevent under ride deaths and have the aero efficiency. As a PS: Most accidents involving tractor trailers are caused by cars, so much so that police in many states now ride with a driver with police all around and pull over and arrest aggressive drivers that go after tractor trailers. One single officer in one day had more than 150 cars pulled over that brake checked tractor trailers. 150 IN ONE DAY.
You're correct!
That's why kids nowadays don't wanna get into this industry
Shit pay for your time
Too right. We're paid like paupers and intrusively-regulated like we're hauling nuclear weapons. But apparently, that was supposed to increase 'safety'. They let all the mexicans and towel heads in, and now they want the 18 year olds in too. Sure, there are a lot of bad steering-wheel holders, but the majority of vehicles are 4-wheelers. And they grew up learning to drive in 'Grand Theft Auto', where there is no haptic feedback of actual world conditions ... some newer haulers as well have no idea what it means if I push you in the side - centrifugal force. They come up an on-ramp and bump into your skirt, because they don't know what merge means, pass you on either shoulder because you are 'in the way', speed up and try to cut your trailer coming over, when you already flashed and your tractor made the lane. This isn't even the half of it, what with cameras and extreme space intrusion. Quite simply, they are insane. There ought to be a mandatory course at the DMV about what to do around a CMV, as well as strict and heavy penalties. This video at the outset makes it all look like it's a CDL-A's, or his truck's, fault - while billboards all over the interstate tell these nutcases how much they can be paid for making consequences they won't have to suffer. Messed up world. 🚛💥
True. In some cases eld rules don't allow a driver to nap when tired, but instead penalize you and force drivers to drive tired. One size fits all rules always have unintended consequences
This entire episode is a completely failed and flawed analysis. Truck or Trailer Manufacturers NOR the Trucking Industry are Responsible for these almost non-existent accidents (literally tens of Billions of transits/ deliveries to 1 death). There are an entire host of causes which I detailed above which have nothing whatsoever to do with Semi-Trucks, Trailers, the Trucking Industry, etc. etc. Frontline is incredibly biased, foolish ignorant, approaches everything from an anti-American/ anti-Republican/ anti-Libertarian, irrational LEFTIST flawed and failed analysis. It is always radical left wing propaganda brainwashing toward the furtherance of the destruction of Western Civilization.
@@Sovereign_Citizen_LEO : I couldn’t have said any better. There’s a war on trucks and the trucking industry. What people forget is everything you have from food to the Ford you drive and all the components that built the Ford to the seed that ended up being the food you eat CAME ON A TRUCK.
Fellow Frontline stans, might I recommend an episode of “The Gray Area” Vox’s Marin Cogan talks with author and journalist Jessie Singer, whose book There Are No Accidents asks us to completely rethink our understanding of accidents as seemingly random, blameless, harm-inducing events. It will haunt you and think rear guards are only the beginning. I also remember reading another haunting article in a readers digest on how many children automatic backup cameras would save, but you know apparently you can put a price on the life of your children
Pretty easy to stop deaths like that kids dont hang around the right side of a semi trailer when its turning right or you have to choose the ditch or the truck had the kid chose to hit the Jersey barrier he'd probably be alove and well today
Saw an old man in a Chrysler Lebaron do a rear under ride took his head off clean at the shoulders, as I drove by i looked down and his decapitated skull was in the back seat
Yuk!
Welcome to the USA! The richest country in the world with the wealthiest companies cannot shell out a fraction of their revenue to save lives. Incredible.
I was involved in an under ride vehicle accident in 1978 when a drunk driver ran under the rear of my freight trailer and burried it up to and including the dash on his 1972 Impala while doing 40 mph. Because of the high and heavy build of the car and the guard beneath the rear trailer body, the driver only had exploding glass injuries. They really did work in certain conditions as I witnessed it even if the standards set then were poor.
That was his fault. Not your job to run around trying to protect idiots.
Thats how that guard should be built, they need to crash test each model on the market.
@@jeffk464 Make me think they need to relook at the automotive industry instead of the truck industry
@Flying Monkey Death Squadron Commander Yep! I also witnessed 1st hand a similar type accident while in the DelMarVa peninsula in 1982. Because the body build of the car was an older type "heavy Chevy" it was not fatal. The passenger vehicles now are 'tinny' or cheaply made and crumple easily. Not like a Nash Rambler I drove as a teen..built like a tank too.
@@jeffk464 The smaller that cars become the less safety they afford to the occupants. People need to look farther down the road than the end of the hood!
It is sad that a life versus a live-saving device is a monetary mathematical equation.
Twas ever thus
Now if someone just took you out of the equation we would all be better off.
@@ey67 You sure got that right. The most glaring and disgusting example I can think of is what Ford Motor Company tried to get away with back in the 1970's. You may (if you are old enough) recall that their Ford Pinto was a top selling compact car, but a fatal design flaw was uncovered. Without going into too much detail, basically they were exploding (gas tank) upon rear impact from another car. Hundreds, if not thousands were being killed or badly injured this way every year. So they brought in the number crunchers to do a cost-benefit analysis using the estimated cost of a recalling all of those Pintos for retrofitting/correction versus the projected future costs of liability/negligence claims resulting from lives lost and severe injuries. Spoiler: yeah....the executives ruled against a recall. Pretty dark stuff.. The best part for them is it is impossible to make a wrong decision...even if they miscalculated, we sucker taxpayers bail them out anyway. The golden parachute always opens, never fails!
@@michaelesgro9506 yes and Ralph Nader got involved with not safe at any speed and testified in Congress because I believe the Chevy Corvair had the same problem with gasoline tanks exploding as the were directly behind or near the rear bumper. Can't remember if the motor was in the rear Chevy stopped making the Corvair. Bad publicity I guess. We could have had him as POTUS but Americans have been too stoopido to live since saint Ronny reagan. So there it is. They all said we need more data. One would think that thousands dead over the last century provides enough data but that would enterfear with profits. Corporate crocodiles in suits. We are ruled by reptiles. What could go wrong?
Trailers need to be redesigned certainly, but we'd be far better off if it were a true national priority to shift long haul trucking to long and mid haul rail infrastructure. With proper investment, it would be cheaper, more efficient, safer, and overall better. Truck drivers could transition to railroad jobs or short haul trucking, and end up with a better quality of life and safety.
A good idea but do some research. Rail transport is unbelievably screws up. Put trailer or container on a train and it vanishes into an information black hole for days or weeks. Nobody knows where it is. Plenty of blame but as usual everything is driven by lowest cost.
Too much $$$ greasing the politicians in Washington DC.
Yeah, the US should def take example from Europe…
Then how will the trailer get to the final destination. A driver that will be in a hurry to deliver.
Unfortunately railroad tracks don't go everywhere and as we saw in Ohio, that industry has its own spotty safety record. You also have to consider the headaches train crossings cause for a community when they are constantly busy.
After my cousin was killed like this we modified our trucks with side guards . We had to design our own. Luckily knock on wood we have never had anyone hit us. People need to keep their distance from the rigs. I could write a book on everything I have seen on the road. Please keep your distance and don’t pull out in front of the rigs. We can’t stop on a dime. It’s unfortunate that these accidents happen. I have been driving for 20 years with no accidents. I’m now retired and I still drive part time for farmers hauling grain. Please drive safely.
I'd be curious how much weight it added to the truck and trailer, assuming you went from the trailer tires to maybe the landing gear? I can imagine building a framework under the sides of the trailer and it seems pretty simple to build but I wondered about how much weight it would add. Going any further forward, past the landing gear of the trailer could put the frame into the drive tires if you had to slide the fifth wheel forward.
I was ready to stop watching at 1:33
They keep happening, "accidents", because people are stupid.
Don't slam into the rear of a truck and you'll be fine. If you hit a truck from behind it is nearly always your fault.
The report was very informative however I wish someone would bring forth the idea even of 4 wheel drivers having the basic knowledge of how to drive around ANY commercial vehicle. Whether these guards work or not, a 4 thousand pound car vs an 80 thousand pound truck has a very low probability of surviving at highway speeds.
Lesson... Dont cut off and brake check semi trucks and dont camp out beside a semi truck 🤷
This is small beans. imagine if we had functional, clean, and safe public transportation. We wouldn't have to drive to buy groceries or see friends. Then we wouldn't have the highest crash and crash death rate in the OECD.
I'm a trucker & let me tell you some of these 4 wheelers get a hard on or something when they ride besides the trailer for miles & not passing us 🤦♂️
the industry has known about how the rear bumper area can decapitate people for decades, but only few companies do something significant about it in their bumper design.
NOT TRUE .... The ICC bumper law has been in effect since 1977. Class 8 Trailer bumpers must be in low height compliance to prevent cars from sliding underneath them from the rear. The amount of divergent speed needed to accordian your car at the back of a truck is insane... and speaks to the problem of speeding motorist... Not trucking industry mfg's.
@TenGreenRangers I've seen and worked with the existing design requirements. Unless they changed it in the last 8 years, I'm still describing the same shit regulations.
What dumbass looks at reality and says oh no that's the problem with the people instead of actually designing around what happens in real life? Lmao. People aren't supposed to drive over 65mph so only design all automobile safety around just 65 mph and less right? 😂 go home
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Once upon a time, I worked for insurance company, as a monitor. I had a list of different trucking companies. I rare if ever searched for these trucking companies at truck stops. I found it to be easier to hit the highway, and take the time to spot these trucking companies as I coasted.
My task was to watch ( follow) these trucks 5 miles 5 minutes and log truck drivers behavior on the highway. 1 speed? 2 center of lane? 3 proper braking? Is mindful of other vehicles on the highway? Etc.
Then I move on, again, after stopping briefly on the side of the road, making brief report.
There was a few incidents I had to call Highway patrol dispatch, to report a trucker weaving over the lane/ highway.
One trucker was pulled over by Highway patrol, as he was in diabetic shock which is a medical emergency.
The insurance company said, monitors greatly reduced the accident rate on highways.
So, that made me feel like I was making a difference, and the job was worth it.
Many long hours on the highway. 12 hour shifts for 3 days then I take 1 day break. I back out for another 3 days, 12 hour shifts.
I'd do it again. Good employer.
Not trying to be an asshole but you need to learn proper grammar and sentence structure because it's very hard to understand what you're saying man!
😂XOXO.
I'm a over the road truck driver. Too many times a four wheeler has cut in front of me, jammed on the brakes and took the exit on the right. I have had quite a few cut in front of me to get to the red light ahead of me. That space I was calculating between my truck and the stop line was so I could stop safely. Now I have to hard break because this stupid teenager cut in front of me and she is completely clueless as to how close she came to getting crushed. SMH.
They don’t pay you guys enough seriously. This documentary is a disgusting piece of propaganda, like most PBS documentaries.
Truck driver here and it does concern me about side under ride and rear bumper under ride protections on trailers. Most trailers now have bare minimums but I have seen some new trailers out there with beefier rear bumpers that have additional gusseting and cross-bracing. Couple problems I see with side under ride guards is a limited ability or possibly an inability to slide the trailer tandems. Maybe the guards will be incorporated into the tandem under-carriage but I did not see any detail on that issue in this documentary. Being able to slide trailer tandems is crucial to cargo carriers and customers when it comes to safely loaded and weight-balanced shipments. The other problem I can foresee is a possible low-clearance issue when a side-guard equipped tractor trailer negotiates an elevated railroad crossing. A fully loaded trailer could bottom out on the tracks and get stuck, much like when a drop deck or low-boy trailer gets stuck at a rail crossing. These are legitimate issues the FMCSA, DOT, and ATA are looking at. Good reporting tho.
Only concerns I have is will these prevent truckers from doing their under trailer inspection? Also would this make it more dangerous to cross inclines and railroads due to increased likelihood to bottom out and get stuck? Im new to trucking.
@@angelgjr1999 It could pose a problem doing inspections, servicing, and doing maintenance on the trailer. Maybe there could be a quick-release mechanism to unhook the side guard and have it on hinges where it could be swung out of the way. Yes bottoming out could be an issue with the side guards, depending on how high off the ground they are.
@@Imissmusicvideos Is agree there should be release levers for it
@@angelgjr1999 no. Think about it drivers manage to do inspections on moving vans lowboys and cattle pots and I don’t believe the side protectors would have to be as low as those trailers.
There NEEDS to be a trucking lane. Plain and simple. Any car violating this by using the lane should be ticketed with a hefty $1,000 fine OR have their license suspended. 3 times, have their license revoked. SOMETHING has to be done. At least this would be a great start!
I do want to know why you have this opinion from a traffic stand point you would mess up the flow not to mention once you look up the stats almost 70% of all crashes involving a semi or box truck are caused by the 4 wheelers if anything the 4 wheelers need to be punished more they cause the wrecks most 4 wheelers Don't know how to drive around big rigs
That's a great idea, But..... That idea means adding lanes to existing freeways OR reducing traveled lanes to accommodate commercial traffic lanes. People drive in the left Lanes and never follow the Old rule ......keep in the right lane Except to pass. Left Lane hogs include 4 wheelers and semis.
@@Foxhound_709 Does a different speed limit (on 4 lane divided highways) add to safety or does it contribute to more accidents? The 55 MPH speed limit on Interstates was such baloney, they were designed for much higher speeds....But are deficient to handle today's much higher traffic volumes.
Truckers in America are grossly underpaid, a professional driver handling 80,000 lbs of equipment on our roads should make enough money that the job attracts quality people, not the case now
Jane Mansfield folks. 😮 How soon they forget. If you can’t see the truck drivers mirrors he can’t see you. Car drivers don’t have a clue about a tractor trailers blind spots. Not a clue. If you pass the truck on the right it is very dangerous. HUGE BLIND SPOT especially if the truck is turning.
Are you really victim blaming a child?
Have the day you deserve.
I drove a truck for nearly 30 years and I can tell you from experience that the majority of careless drivers I've ever had the misfortune of being on the road with have been people vehicles with 4 wheels .
Durrrr probably because there are literally 100x as many passenger cars as semis on the road. Yall just prove why all you're good for is driving s truck, can't think worth a shit
You aren't wrong!! But why not provide a solution to make these accidents less fatal?? This video isn't meant to blame truckers good lord.
And not to mention the 4 wheelers who try to cause an accident on purpose and brake check truckers to try to get insurance money not knowing most of them out there on the road have dash cameras
Awesome Report. As a truck driver I hope this changes minds. Thank you for this great video.
What? The DoT has a cozy relationship with the industry it's supposed to regulate??? Shocked...I am just shocked. At least that is isolated and doesn't occur with agencies like the FDA, USDA, FAA...oh...wait...
In my Philly we just had the collapse of a bridge due to a tanker truck overturned underneath and caught on fire.... I95 closed for months
Fantastic reporting AC, propublica and Frontline. I found myself analyzing the trucks on the morning drive. I saw a wind wall but not a cross bar. It's wild