Bill to Prevent Side Underride Accidents
When a car and truck collide in a crash, the greater height of the truck makes it possible for the car to slide underneath causing severe injuries to those who are not killed in this type of terrible accident. Every year hundreds of motorist, cyclists, and pedestrians die in underride accidents. Over the last 19, years there have been more than 4,000 underride fatalities. Now legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate that will make both side and re-engineered rear guards mandatory for all new semi-trailers.
Named the Roya, AnnaLeah & Mary Comprehensive Underride Protection Act of 2017 after three girls who died in underride accidents, the bill was submitted by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand along with Senators Marco Rubio, Steve Cohen, and Mark DeSaulnier. Senator Gillibrand stated that just as the use of seatbelts and other safety standards are required, so should the use of side and rear guards for trucks.
Side and rear guards for trucks cover the exposed spaces below the undercarriage of the tractor trailer. In the event of a truck accident, guards prevent smaller vehicles from sliding under the truck – something which can have catastrophic results for the occupants.
A Recognized Life Saving Device
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an independent non-profit organization, has performed research that shows how strong underride guards not only prevent a car from sliding under a truck in an accident, they also further protect vehicle occupants by triggering airbags and belt restraint devices. IIHS data show that risk of injury in a truck wreck can be reduced by up to 75 percent when a semi-trailer has been equipped with side underride guards. This data was used in formulating the legislation now before the U.S. Senate.
Although the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recommended the use of underride guards since the 1970s, there has never been any legislation that requires it. Around the world, underride guards have been mandatory for some time including in Japan and many European countries.
In the U.S., the cities of Boston, New York, and Seattle require certain large trucks to use side underride guards to protect the significant number of pedestrians and cyclists in their cities. Side guards on trucks prevent people from falling under the wheels and are a last line of defense for pedestrians and cyclists who can be easily swept under a truck’s rear wheels. In many cyclist and pedestrian accidents involving a truck, the first impact is with the side of the truck. The United Kingdom enacted laws requiring trucks to be equipped with side guards in 1986 and since then there has been a reduction of 61 percent in cyclist fatalities and 20 percent in pedestrian deaths from side- impact truck crashes.
Delaware Truck Accident Lawyers at Jacobs & Crumplar, P.A. Represent Injured Victims and Their Families
If you or someone you love has been injured in a truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation. The skilled Delaware truck accident lawyers at Jacobs & Crumplar, P.A. can help you determine your legal options and will fight to make sure you receive the maximum compensation allowable in your case. Contact us online or call 302-656-5445 today to schedule a consultation with an experienced Delaware truck accident lawyer. From our offices in Wilmington and Georgetown we proudly represent satisfied clients throughout New Castle County, Kent County, and Sussex County, Delaware.
Daylight Saving Time Accidents
Daylight saving time was begun with the idea that if clocks were turned an hour forward in the spring, we would have an extra hour of daylight in the evening. Turning them back in fall gives us an extra hour in the morning. Around the world, there are countries like Argentina and Russia, that used to use daylight saving time, but no longer do. Other countries, like China, have never used it at all.
In the United States, we still change our clocks every spring and fall; but now researchers are making the case that daylight saving time could be hazardous to our health. Accident rates are higher in the weeks that follow the time change, as are incidents of heart attacks. One study found a 6.3 percent in fatal car accidents over the six days after the clocks are changed.
Losing Sleep and Drowsy Driving
An hour of lost sleep may not sound like much. However, considering that some people only sleep five or six hours a night anyway, losing an hour puts them well under the recommended minimum of seven hours. Studies show that adjusting the body’s sleep cycle may take at least a week during which time people are at risk for drowsy driving. A sleep deprived driver has the same reduced function and slower reaction time as a drunk driver. These still-sleepy commuters also have to adjust to making their morning drive in the dark. The rate of pedestrian accidents is higher after clocks are changed for daylight saving time.
In the fall, even though we gain an extra hour of sleep, things are no better. In fact, some people think they have an extra hour to stay out drinking that weekend, thus raising their risk of being in a drunk driving accident and injuring other innocent drivers. New York City even launched a safety campaign aimed at reducing the number of car and pedestrian accidents following the daylight saving time change reminding city dwellers to be vigilant once daylight has faded. Truck accidents can also be a problem because their drivers have irregular schedules making it even harder to adjust to the change in time.
Stay Safe When the Clocks Change
Some would prefer to eliminate the clock change because the original argument about saving energy used to light homes by having more daylight hours really does not hold up anymore. However, at present in the U.S. everyone except for those living in Arizona and Hawaii must deal with the safety issues that arise twice a year due to daylight saving time. To minimize your risk of being in a car accident, get plenty of sleep the night before the time change. Be extra aware when driving, especially during the hours that are newly darkened. If you become drowsy, pull over and rest rather than drive while fatigued.
Wilmington Car Accident Lawyers at Jacobs & Crumplar, P.A. Represent Injured Victims of Drowsy Driving Accidents
Find out about your legal options from an experienced Wilmington car accident lawyer at Jacobs & Crumplar, P.A. if you have been injured in a car accident. We will seek maximum compensation on your behalf so that you can recover from your injuries. Call 302-565-5445 today or contact us online. With offices in Wilmington and Georgetown, we represent clients throughout Delaware.
U.S. 9 Truck Bypass
Sussex County is in the process of improving the safety of the U.S. 9 truck bypass from east of Georgetown to U.S. 113. The plan by the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) calls for upgrades to the roads used for the truck bypass including shoulders, appropriate turn lanes, and intersection improvements. The plans also address the room needed to extend the main runway of the Delaware Coastal Airport in the future.
According to DelDOT, around 800 trucks a day use the bypass, which has several locations with higher than average crash rates compared to both state and county averages. At present, the travel lanes are 10-11 feet wide and the shoulders between one and two feet. By 2040, traffic is anticipated to increase to 1,205 trucks, or about 20 percent of vehicles using the road. According to DelDOT, that number is high for comparable roads in Delaware. The increase is due in part to new commercial development in the county industrial park.
Relocating Park Avenue
The Park Avenue Relocation Project is still in the environmental assessment phase. After that there will be a 30-day public comment period. Officials are planning the initial design phase for Spring 2018 with construction starting in 2022. The project should take two years to complete and cost approximately $33.8 million. The price tag includes construction costs, relocating utilities, right-of-way, and environmental mitigation.
Residents on and near Park Avenue expressed varying reactions to the proposed plan. Some have been notified that widening the road on each side to create ten- foot shoulders will take land from their front yards. Although residents will receive compensation from DelDOT for the land, they are concerned that their property values will decrease. Increased truck traffic also means increased noise levels. Residents said that in a workshop in 2016, DelDOT presented different options for improving the truck bypass and none of them examined removing the truck traffic from residential areas and relocating the path to rural locations.
Other residents expressed relief that the truck bypass will finally have adequate shoulder space. The relocation project will widen the travel lanes to 12 feet and add ten-foot shoulders which will aid emergency vehicles trying to reach the scene of a car accident. A clear zone of 20 feet from the edge of the travel lanes will also be added. The Delaware Motor Transport Association said that truckers would welcome the improvements.
Supporting Economic Growth in Sussex County
Besides improving safety for both local and through-traffic, county officials believe that improving U.S. 9 can help east-west movement through the area which will allow the airport to grow. The Delaware Coastal Airport is a vital link in the transportation system of Southern Delaware with nearly 40,000 landings and takeoffs annually. When the relocation project is finished, the airport can consider extending the runway. Future improvements to the bypass could possibly accommodate traffic to and from the beaches and along the U.S. 113 commuter corridor.
Wilmington Truck Accident Lawyers at Jacobs & Crumplar, P.A. Advocate for Injured Victims of Truck Accidents
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, we can help you seek compensation. The Wilmington truck accident lawyers at Jacobs & Crumplar, P.A. are experienced and committed to holding those responsible for your injuries accountable for their negligence. Call 302-656-5445 or 800-355-1818 today to schedule a free consultation with a skilled Wilmington truck accident lawyer, or contact us online. We have locations in Wilmington and Georgetown to serve clients throughout Delaware.