Tractor trailer trucks facing madatory changes

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - National Traffic Safety Board leaders held a public hearing Tuesday to discuss ways to prevent tanker rollover crashes like the one that injured five people last October. That accident at I-69 and I-465 shut down a major interchange, and forced the NTSB to take a closer look at how to prevent rollovers.

At 10:38 a.m. October 22nd, 2009, a tanker carrying almost 12,000 gallons of liquefied petroleum hit a guard rail as it barreled south on I-69, slid into a pillar of the I-465 southbound overpass, and burst into flames. Those flames have sparked a fierce debate over what can be done to prevent rollover cargo tanker crashes like this one.

At an NTSB hearing in Washington D.C., panelists discussed whether stability controls should be mandatory just like they are in cars and SUVs. And if so, should they be mandated in tractors, trailers or both? The panel concluded that undoubtedly having both is best, but without a mandate, money matters make decisions.

"If money wasn't an issue, then obviously they would buy systems for the tractor and the trailer," said one panelist.

Panelists and board members also watched this truck driver instructional video and discussed improving driver training - especially with tanker trucks drivers. Although tanker trucks represent just six percent of large trucks, they account for 31 percent of all fatal commercial truck rollover crashes. That's because when the center of gravity shifts in a turn, the liquid inside also shifts, making a tough turn potentially fatal if the driver is poorly trained.

"We believe that everyone should be trained before they take an 80,000 pound truck down the road in mixed traffic." said a panelist.

That may seem like common sense, but establishing a government mandated nationwide standard for truck driver training has been decades in the making. In the meantime, 1,265 cargo tankers a year crash on our highways.

Panelists testified that an estimated 106 lives a year could be saved if stability controls were mandated in trucks and trailers.

The hearing continues Wednesday.