The effects of an accident that involves a semi truck are frequently traumatic for victims. While there are many guidelines and restrictions are in place to protect Louisiana drivers from a truck accident, there are consistent challenges to theses constraints. It is up to legislators to determine what would constitute appropriate, and safe, changes.

There seems to be a constant struggle between safety and productivity when it comes to commercial trucking vehicles. Recently, changes were made to the hours of service that truck drivers are allowed to drive in a week. The pull between driving more hours to cover more territory and keeping drivers alert and safe has been an ongoing discussion. Frequently, truck drivers who cause an accident on the road are drowsy or distracted.

A recent bill was proposed that would allow commercial truck drivers to carry more cargo. Again, the push for higher productivity is the reason for the proposal. However, critics of the proposed bill claimed that these heavier trucks would cause damage to roads and bridges, and accidents would be even more devastating.

Luckily for other motorists, a House committee ruled to maintain current sizes and weights for the next three years. Various statements have suggested that the proposed weight increase was not approved primarily because of the fact that current roadways are not capable of safely carrying heavier trucks. Additionally, changes in the trucking industry should not be done at the expense of other motorists.

Trucking industry representatives and supporters have been very vocal about making trucking more efficient, productive and profitable. While there should always be room for improvements, changes should not be made in a way that puts other drivers in danger.

When a car is involved in an accident with a semi truck, frequently the car sustains the most damage. Additionally, a driver can experience brain or spinal cord injuries, paralysis or worse. Victims of truck accidents may want to seek immediate support following an accident. This may be especially true if the truck driver was negligent, drowsy or carrying an unlawful amount of weight.

Source: CNN, "Big rigs won't be getting any bigger - for a while," Greg Clary, Feb. 2, 2012