Semi Truck Overturns in Jacksonville, Florida
In Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida, a semi truck (or tractor trailer or 18 wheeler as they are often called) was involved in an accident when it overturned on State Road 9A earlier this week, according to a First Coast News article. It does not appear that there were any serious injuries.
Rollover accidents, particularly those involving tractor trailers, are among the most serious in terms of causing injuries to the driver of the truck and others. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report showed that a rollover occurred in 52% of the accidents where the driver was killed. Additionally, a rollover was responsible for 95% of the accidents that resulted in hazardous materials spillage.
A researcher at Penn State University's Transportation Institute is of the opinion that economic pressures have forced the trucking industry to increase the size and weight of tractor trailers transporting materials across the United States. As a result, these big trucks are more unstable and harder for the truck drivers to maneuver causing more rollover accidents. The researcher believes the solution to the growing problem of truck rollovers is to install a computer mechanism into the truck which can measure the truck's acceleration and central gravity and make brake adjustments to prevent rollovers. Nothing can completely eliminate the threat of rollovers for a semi truck (or any other vehicle), but similar mechanisms have been helpful in reducing rollovers in SUV's.
