Truck Accident Lawyer on Truck Accidents Caused by Poor Product Engineering

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2005, there were 442,000 large trucks involved in crashes in the United States. 114,000 injuries and 5,212 fatalities resulted from these truck driving accidents.

Federal standards that govern the design and manufacture of large trucks are weak. Truck driving safety standards are kept weak due to the influence of truck manufacturers on the federal government. For example, manufacturers self-certify that their new trucks comply with federal regulations; however, they are not required to test their trucks and offer proof that they comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).

Federal regulations do not and are not intended to guarantee truck driving safety.

Most federal standards for truck driving safety are decades old and are not reflective of either the manufacturing practices, or the design of contemporary trucks. Furthermore, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards are merely minimal safety standards. They are not optimal standards for truck driving safety.

A significant number of truck accidents transpire as the result of a truck’s poorly designed brake system. Also, because trucks are not equipped with under-ride guards - of the rigid or (better and safer) energy absorbing variety - many driving accidents involving large trucks and smaller vehicles result in fatal or permanent injuries to the occupants of the smaller automobile.

Other safety devices that trucks could have, but which are thwarted by truck manufacturers and their lobbying organization, the American Trucking Association, are tire pressure monitoring systems and systems to alert drowsy truck drivers.

Major truck manufacturers include General Motors Corp. (GMC); Ford; Volvo; Navistar; Toyota; Nissan; Peterbilt; International and Kenworth.

If you, or a loved one, have been seriously injured in a collision that involved a large truck, the manufacturer of that truck may be at fault.

Levy, Phillips & Konigsberg, LLP, truck accident attorneys with law offices in New Jersey and New York, have been representing plaintiffs in serious truck accidents involving permanent injuries or death for over twenty years. Please call partner, Alan J. Konigsberg at (212) 605-6200 for a free consultation or for further information on truck driving safety and manufacturer’s responsibilities.