Last night, CNBC aired the first part of a four-part investigative series “Collision Course” highlighting crashes involving trucks on U.S. highways and the potential cause of the rise in accidents.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA), nearly 4,000 people died in trucking accidents in 2012, an 18% increase from 2009. Claiming the industry is under-regulated, CNBC looks into what it being done to promote safety on the roads, and how to hold “chameleon carriers” responsible when their negligence holds deadly consequences.
“Collision Course,” reported by Eamon Javers, will run throughout CNBC’s Business Day programming (M-F, 4am – 7pm ET) and on CNBC.com. If you wish to comment on the series, you can send feedback here.
During the first segment, CNBC’s reporter brings up 2012 inspection statistics, which revealed that 20 percent of trucks shouldn’t have been on the road due to mechanical problems, “And, nearly 5 percent of truck drivers (171,000) had enough violations to be pulled from behind the wheel.”
The second part of the investigation is a personal interview with an Illinois man who tragically lost his family after a truck driver with prior accidents plowed into their minivan on the highway traveling at unsafe speeds.
CNBC then takes a close look at how up-and-coming technology can improve highway safety, such as the Mercedes-Benz autonomous, driverless truck and Volvo’s enhanced cruise controls. Finally, Javers covers the deceptive practice of “chameleon carriers” changing names to avoid litigation.
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