Trucks Hauling Hazardous Materials Are Hardly Any Safer Than Other Commercial Vehicles
Despite a multitude of additional rules and regulations recognizing the danger they present, semi-trucks hauling hazardous materials and dangerous goods are not maintained in much better shape than tractor-trailers hauling Beanie Babies or Stay Puft marshmallows. A recent truck safety inspection event found vehicle and driver violations in this area occurring at only slightly better rates than the overall trucking industry in general.
The inspections occurred during Roadcheck 2014, a 72-hour safety enforcement event held last June (see Roadcheck 2014 Summer Safety Enforcement Blitz Pulls 13,000 Semi-Trucks Out of Service). The inspection of hazardous materials/transportation of dangerous goods (HM/TDG) vehicles fared only slightly better than the general population of big rigs inspected. Of the 5,738 HM/TDG trucks inspected, 16% were found with Out-Of-Service (OOS) violations, while 3% of HM/TDG drivers were pulled from service for OOS violations. In comparison, overall inspections of 73,475 semis resulted in 18.7% of trucks placed out of service along with 4.8% of truckers.
While these figures are scary enough for the average 18-wheeler on the road (and for the rest of us sharing the road with them), it seems particularly disturbing that better care isn’t taken of trucks transporting hazardous materials and dangerous goods. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recognizes the added risks of a toxic exposure or widespread catastrophic injuries in the event of a crash, leak or fire involving one of these vehicles. FMCSA includes a special set of regulations devoted exclusively to driving and parking rules and the transportation of hazardous materials. HM/TDG trucks require special paperwork and specific rules regarding vehicle safety, load securement, placarding and other hazard identification and communication. HM/TDG truckers must also have a special set of credentials. When it comes to general safety features like brake safety, tire/wheel safety, and hours of service for drivers, however, trucking companies apparently do not take special care even though they know the trucks will be hauling hazardous or dangerous goods.
