Tractor-trailer crashes, fires have many asking what can be done
That has been happening all too frequently in the
Truckers, lawyers and advocacy groups are calling for the revival of old technologies and the implementation of new ones to help prevent wrecks. Some point to a technology intended to reduce diesel emissions as a possible cause of some truck fires. Others are calling for changes to safety regulations.
And there's a common-sense approach: People need to pay more attention.
The onslaught of dramatic truck crashes and fires in this area this month "should open people's eyes," said
In fact, five people have died and one other is hospitalized in critical condition as a result of tractor-trailer wrecks in the
--
-- Also
--
--
-- Also
Such a rash of events so close together in time naturally draws attention. But Burns said truck fires are more common than people may realize.
"This is happening all over the place," he said. "You only notice it when it gets on the front page."
It is not yet clear if there is any connection among the flaming trucks. The investigations are continuing. A spokesman for the
"There is so much distracted driving," Spencer said. "People have to pay attention."
"Ten years ago, there weren't really smartphones," Rhodes said. "Now you drive down the street, and everyone's got something in their hand."
Technology could help
Technology exists to equip trucks with automatic emergency braking sensors, said
The sensors have been available in passenger cars for more than a decade. They detect when a vehicle is at risk of rear-ending another and applies the brakes automatically. The coalition submitted a petition in 2015 calling for the
NHTSA agreed to the petition but has not issued a final rule determining when such a requirement would go into effect or what specific guidelines it would consist of.
The agency did estimate that all vehicles under 10,000 pounds would have such devices installed by 2025, largely as the result of a voluntary agreement with car manufacturers.
"We don't know why the agency has not moved forward with this important, lifesaving rulemaking," Adler said.
Trucks can also more often use speed-limitation devices, Adler said.
In that wreck, a trucker rear-ended a line of stopped and slowing cars, precipitating a blaze. Walker, who was not involved in the wreck, said he lets other truckers know via radio when he sees stopped or slowing traffic, but that is becoming less common.
"No one is talking on the CB radio anymore," Walker said.
Diesel filters
Spencer said the frequency of truck fires seems to be escalating. Truckers say one culprit may be a device intended improve air quality called a diesel particulate filter. Many say they can grow hot enough to ignite diesel fuel if tanks are ruptured in a crash.
The filters were designed to capture soot that comes along with diesel combustion. The filters are attached to truck exhaust systems and catch the soot before it can be released into the air.
Once filters fill with soot, they undergo a process known as "regeneration," in which the filter is heated to burn the soot to ash. Regeneration temperatures can climb over 1,000 degrees.
The
"Manufacturers have chosen to comply with these standards by installing" the filters, the
"No one wants to raise this as a possibility," Spencer said, referring to the fire risks such filters are said to pose.
At least one of the flaming trucks locally, a 2017 Volvo involved in the
The indications that the diesel particulate filters may be factors in many truck fires are mostly anecdotal, Spencer said. But coalitions of businesses and truck owners have filed lawsuits in
More regulations?
One approach would require the federal government's help -- changing or adding regulations to make the roads safer.
In August, federal regulators had proposed using speed-limiting devices on new vehicles of more than 26,000 pounds, a plan that had been in the works for more than a decade. The government had said speed limiters set between 60 and 68 mph would reduce fatal crashes and fuel use. But President
The
The department also noted that the cost to implement the speed limiting rule would be "minimal" because trucks already have the hardware required to limit speeds.
One federal regulation aimed at truckers has drawn criticism and is now being rethought. Truckers now are limited to 11 hours of consecutive driving. Even if a trucker breaks up his or her driving with rest stops, he or she is limited to a maximum of 14 hours a day on the road.
Walker said the 14-hour provision is dangerous because truckers, typically paid by the mile, are forced to pack as much mileage as possible into a short span of time and might not be as safety conscious.
The
The study was scheduled to run through
The Star's
___
(c)2017 The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Mo.)
Visit The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Mo.) at www.kansascity.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
EDITORIAL: Bits and pieces from the news
Highmark’s Obamacare rates could jump up to 24 percent in 2018
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News