Truck accidents can be devastating when they occur. Getting into an accident with an out-of-control big rig is frightening and could cause severe injuries or death, so people are wary to have young truck drivers on the road in Georgia and other states. If you get into an accident with one of them, it increases the odds of a negative outcome.
Is it safe having teenagers driving big rigs?
Moving goods from state to state has become more challenging in the past few years. With supplies needing to get to essential destinations, the Biden Administration has addressed the issue with a new infrastructure law. It allows drivers as young as 18 to drive big rigs once they attain a commercial driver’s license, which is required to operate a large commercial motor vehicle safely. With statistics showing that a teenager is four times as likely to have an accident, some advocates wonder if this is a good idea. Previously, the age was 21 to handle a tractor-trailer on highways and rural roads in the United States.
Truck driving is strenuous work
Paying attention to the road is essential, especially when driving a large tractor-trailer. Traveling 125,000 miles or more per year and spending 300 days on the road annually is typical for full-time truck drivers. Advocates against lowering the age limit believe it would put “inexperienced, risk-prone teenagers” on interstate highways. When these drivers control an 80,000-pound truck and get into an accident, they could demolish a passenger car.
Keeping the roads safe is critical
Safety advocates will continue to monitor this situation as more teenage truck drivers begin driving big rigs on the road. While this might help solve supply-chain issues, it may not be worth it if it leads to safety problems causing traffic accidents.
It may not take long to see the consequences associated with the decision to put 18-year-olds in control of extremely large tractor-trailers. If you’ve suffered injuries due to the negligence of a truck driver or had a family member die from this type of incident, it’s likely that you fully understand the risks of young drivers behind the wheels of big rigs.
