Teens Unite to Raise Awareness of Trucking Accidents in Tennessee and Elsewhere

A group of teens recently joined together to raise awareness about trucking accidents in Tennessee and elsewhere throughout the United States.

Teens from around our nation’s capital teamed to make summer traveling safer by vowing to be extra cautious near large trucks. They vowed to allow them plenty of room and to avoid driving in their spots. The teens even signed a “No Texting Promise.” This truck safety demonstration event was organized by national safety officials and families of distracted driving crash victims, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation‘s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the National Organizations for Youth Safety and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance also spoke to students about the importance of safe driving around these big trucks. Accidents involving these trucks are often deadly.

Our Knoxville truck accident attorneys know this all too well. These vehicles operate much differently than our passenger vehicles and motorists need to familiarize themselves with these differences. It is important to work around these vehicles and to accommodate their needs to preserve the safety of all motorists.

“We want everyone to be safe, but as newer drivers, teens must adhere to a few simple rules,” said Anne Ferro, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. “They are: buckle up, don’t drink and drive; don’t speed, don’t text or use your phone, and steer clear of a truck’s blind spots.”

Drivers 16 to 24 years old have the highest traffic accident death rate in the United States. From 2005 to 2009, almost 4,000 people from that age group were killed in traffic accidents involving large trucks.

The event was held this month because, according to the most recent data from U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the deadliest days for teens on our roads are from May through August. During these months, teens 15 to 19 see about two times more deaths on roadways than any of time during the year. During this time, there’s an average of 16 deaths per day on our roadways. This is compared to an average of roughly nine deaths per day the entire year.

“Prom, graduation, and summer are fantastic times for youth to celebrate and enjoy. However, with these fun times come unfortunate tragedies,” said Sandy Spavone, president of the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS). “Through education, enforcement, and legislation lives can be saved and injuries prevented.”

A fully loaded tractor-trailer needs about twice the distance to stop than a passenger vehicle does. These tractor-trailers also have extremely large blind spots that motorists should avoid.

“Do not expect that having a driver’s license is a right that comes without responsibility or risk,” said Steve Keppler, executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. “Be accountable for your actions, spread the word to your friends and parents, and help create a culture of safety. Most importantly, take the driving task seriously. You never know the impact you can have that ultimately could save your life or someone else’s.”

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a trucking accident in Tennessee, contact Hartsoe Law Firm, P.C. for a confidential appointment to discuss your rights with our Knoxville injury lawyers and Maryville accident attorneys. Call (865) 804-1011.

More Blog Entries: New Program Aims to Help Those Severely Injured in Tennessee Vehicle Accidents, Tennessee Truck Accident Lawyer Blog, June 7, 2011 Three Emergency Responder Vehicles Struck by 18-wheeler in Tennessee Trucking Accident, Tennessee Truck Accident Lawyer Blog, May 24, 2011 New Proposals Aim to Reduce Risk of Tennessee Tractor-Trailer Accidents, Tennessee Truck Accident Lawyer Blog, May 17, 2011