Risk of Trailer Accidents Increases During Summer
USA Today has a report on the higher risk of towing trailer accidents during summer, when many Americans hitch a trailer to their vehicle to tow boating gear and head to the nearest lake. Summer is also when many people plan a move, increasing the risk of a trailer accident.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, towing trailer-related accidents kill at least one person every day somewhere in the country. In Georgia alone, since 1975, these accidents have cost a total of 280 lives. Over the past two decades, such accidents have contributed to close to 8,500 injuries, which have led to a total economic loss of more than $42 million. Property damage caused from these accidents has resulted in more than $65 million in damages in Georgia. Those statistics come from dangeroustrailers.org, a website established by trailer safety activist Ron Melancon.
Many states around the country have laws that require safety chains to secure the trailer to the vehicle, in order to prevent the trailer from coming loose. Unfortunately, Georgia does not have laws requiring safety chains. Across the country, several states are moving to require safety devices to prevent runaway trailers. The states of Hawaii, Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee have legislation in the works to require such devices for towing trailers. Virginia will soon introduce a bill that will require such safety devices.
Georgia authorities must understand that the economic cost of not requiring safety chains is greater than we can afford. Having a safety chain is the very least that a motorist can do to prevent the trailer from coming unsecured and crashing into motorists around. It’s about time these were mandated in Georgia.
The Atlanta personal injury lawyers at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers represent injured victims of auto/truck/motorcycle accidents around the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia.