Last month, a fatal crash in Oregon put a spotlight on the gravely important issue of truck safety. Tragically, a California truck driver – who was later charged with manslaughter and driving under the influence of intoxicants – drove off Interstate 5 in Albany and slammed into a passenger van filled with farmworkers, killing seven.
As co-founder of the Institute for Safer Trucking, I hear horrific stories, like this every day. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the United States witnessed a staggering increase in truck crash fatalities, with a shocking 71 percent rise between 2009 and 2021. Every year, approximately 5,000 Americans die in truck-involved crashes - that’s the equivalent of a 747-plane crashing every month. With truck crash fatalities at their highest levels since 1981, our mission has never been more critical: reducing truck crash injuries and fatalities, supporting survivors and families, and raising awareness about crucial truck safety issues.
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