Widow Seeks Airbag Requirement in Commercial Trucks
Widow is pushing for airbags in 18-wheelers after trucking accident killed her husband.

December 04, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Much is said about how dangerous tractor trailers are on America's highways. As the heaviest vehicles on the road, they are inherent safety hazards. In car-truck crashes, people in passenger cars are much more likely to be injured than a truck driver. However, this does not mean that truckers are immune to injury; especially when truck cabs are not equipped with the same safety measures required in cars.

Sarah Van Wasshnova knows this firsthand. Her husband Carl was killed at the scene of the trucking accident when his 2005 Freightliner crashed into another trailer. Accident reports indicate that he was only going 30 miles per hour when he veered across the median to avoid a crash in front of him. He suffered fatal blunt force trauma when his head hit the steering column.

In an interview with LandLine Magazine, Sarah explains that she believes that Carl would still be alive today if his truck was equipped with an airbag. To honor her husband's memory, Sarah took her concerns to Capitol Hill in the hopes of getting Congress to improve crashworthiness standards in commercial trucks. She recently met with a number of legislators drafting a new highway safety bill. Current federal regulations do not require all trucks to have airbags. However, Congress required all passenger vehicles manufactured or imported into the U.S. to have airbags after 1998.

OOIDA Government Affairs Counsel Laura O'Neill is optimistic that some language regarding improved manufacturing standards will appear in both the House and Senate versions of the bill.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a trucking accident, contact an experienced personal injury attorney in your area to understand the options available to you. Insurance companies may want you to settle your claim for less than it is worth.

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