The massive 140-care pileup on eastbound Interstate-10 in Southeast Texas has some questioning whether or not trucks should be required to travel at a lower rate of speed than other motorists.
The pileup occurred at approximately 8:45 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning. Â Most believe the dense fog and high rate of speed were to blame. Â Two died and 80 were injured, 10 of those are critical.
According to authorities and witnesses, traffic was flowing at 70 mph despite limited visibility.
“The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) recently reported that 25 percent of speeding-related large-truck fatalities occurred during adverse weather conditions, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration,” the Christian Science Monitor reported.
Despite the fact that two-thirds of all passenger car and truck accidents are at the fault of the car driver, some are calling for differential speeds.
Texas and Utah are currently the only states that allow trucks to travel 80 mph. Â Most states only allow trucks to go 65 mph, and California is even stricter, trucks are only allowed to go 55 mph in that state.
Though studies have shown that crashes increase in area with differential speeds for motorists and trucks, that doesn’t stop states from enforcing it.
To read more about the controversy, follow this link. Â