by JC Campbell

Created on: August 24, 2008   Last Updated: November 07, 2008

The gigantic monsters that traverse our highways and interstates regardless of weather conditions, the trucks that dwarf us as we sit in our small cars are a constant, yet necessary feature on the roads. The business world relies heavily on trucking as can be observed when we travel any highway, day or night, and find truck drivers following yet another route toward their destination. Necessary as truck transportation may be, there are important issues that require attention to ensure safety for the truck drivers themselves and for other road users who are often intimidated on the road.

REGULATIONS
The industry is now producing trucks that cater for the needs of the driver more than ever before. Many are fitted with a place to sleep and bathroom facilities which allow the drivers to make their regular truck stops and continue on their way without wasting more time than they need to. The law has been brought to bear to ensure regulations are in lace and observed in trucking. Speed limits on certain roads, weight limits on the loads carried and also limits on the amount of time a driver can continue without a rest.

The regulations are absolutely essential for safety reasons but unfortunately, not all companies or drivers will adhere to those laws. Most of us will have observed trucks traveling at speed ways beyond the required limit as do many car drivers. The speed at which a truck travels is usually more intimidating to other road users who may find themselves in the path of a monster vehicle traveling too close as the driver impatiently tries to pass. Speed limits are essential for all drivers but all the more so for heavily-laden trucks.

ROBUST
Another issue in trucking is the limit placed on loads and the weight any truck is allowed to carry on a public highway. Again some companies have taken a chance on overloading their trucks in the hope that the weigh stations along the route will not pick up on it or better still, that the weigh stations will be closed. Many truck drivers have learned to their cost that this is not recommended. The damage to roads is obviously increased as these gigantic vehicle pound the roads regularly, something that is moving authorities to opt for more robust road surfaces to ease the problem.

Another issue for those who operate and drive trucks is the time limit on driving. Rightly, there are regulations in place to ensure that drivers do not drive for lengthy periods that will lead to drowsiness and the possibility of causing accidents that will maim them and other road users. No-one would want to be caught in a road accident caused by a truck driver who falls asleep at the wheel.

Trucks have a major role to play in transporting goods that are for the good of society but there is a real need for the kind of regulations that are in place. Such laws serve to protect truck drivers and the thousands of other road users who may cross their paths everyday.

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