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Thousands Are Dying In Semi Truck Crashes, Jury Trials Can Help

A few weeks ago, the Kansas City Star published an editorial about the sharp rise in trucking collisions, both at home in Kansas City and across the US. The editorial did a good job recounting the dangers of distracted truck driving and urged congress to pass a law requiring trucks be equipped with collision avoidance technology to prevent such carnage and protect motorists.

While I agree with the Star that more laws are required for truck safety, there’s a reason the saying goes for things that’ll never happen: “It’ll take an Act of Congress”. There is a very small chance Congress will enact a law requiring more regulation on an industry.

But there’s another option: jury trials. As the voice of the community, juries get to say what the rules are. If the jury finds in favor of an injured motorist and against a trucking company in a trucking case, they send the message that we expect trucking companies to follow our rules. If a jury agrees the rule should be trucking companies must use collision avoidance technology, a jury should enter a verdict in such a case.

The downside of using a jury to decide the rules is that they are reactive, and not proactive. For a jury to adopt new rules for trucking companies, someone would have to have been hurt or killed in a truck crash where such technology would have helped. Any injury from such a crash is too high a price to pay.

The trucking industry would probably argue that regulations forcing them to use collision avoidance technology is too expensive, but it is far less expensive than someone’s life or health.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck-involved accident, you deserve quality legal assistance. Truck accidents can leave their victims with life-changing consequences that often require compensation to overcome. Contact our office to learn more.

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