When Tragedy Triggers Reform
There’s a lot that can go wrong on the road, and there are plenty of truck crashes every single day to show us that we have to remain alert when driving. We like to focus on load security, driver error, third-party liability, and all of the things we should be aware of so if something does happen, we know how Herbert Law Group can handle the situation. However, many of the rules for trucking companies and their drivers were implemented because something terrible happened. Today, the Car Crash Captain is looking at some of these tragic events, and how they transformed the industry to become safer for everyone.
When Jayne Mansfield Crashed in 1967
Jayne Mansfield was a big name in Hollywood in the 1960’s. Her beauty, her appeal, and everything about her meant she was making waves and making a name for herself. That was cut short in late June 1967 when the 34-year-old died in a crash with a semi-truck. Before the truck bumpers were required to have underride protection, a vehicle smashing into the back of them would have the car go under, and the trailer crush the upper half of the cab. Mansfield and the driver were killed instantly in the crash.
This wreck triggered public outrage, and led to a push for regulations on making rear guards for tractor-trailers mandatory. The issue, however, was that the NHTSA was slow to act, and often would drop the ball on these types of wrecks.
Decades Later Underride Truck Crashes are Still an Issue
Despite the regulations, people were still being killed in underride collisions. The problem was that even though guards were required, many of them would fail in real-world crashes. The regulation was that the truck would have to be equipped with a guard; there were few regulations on how strong the guard must be.
As we headed into the 21st century, catastrophic underride and guard failure truck crashes continued to claim lives. Trucking companies complained equipping with stronger guards would be prohibitively expensive (estimates showed merely $50 to $150 per guard), and regulators tended to ignore the issues that continued to be a problem.
2019 and 2024 the Modern Era of Regulation
In 2019 a fatal crash spurred major changes. Two men crashed into the back of a semi-truck that was moving at a snail’s pace. The guard did nothing to minimize the impact, and ultimately a $462 million verdict handed down in 2024 was considered to be a nuclear verdict. The trailer manufacturer was hit hard, and even though their product complied with the old standards, the jury found it to be dangerously inadequate.
The era of “minimum compliance” was no longer acceptable, and this crash spurred the NHTSA to update their rear-impact guard strength requirements in 2022.
Why did it Take over 50 Years of Truck Crashes?
Decades of weak regulations and countless deaths had to happen before the NHTSA finally stepped up to say this is unacceptable. And even today the side-underride guards aren’t yet federally mandated, and there are exemptions for many types of trucks.
Unfortunately, one of the only things that truly puts pressure on manufacturers are these nuclear verdicts. Regulation isn’t enough and legal and financial pressure is what finally causes the change.
We can only hope that years of truck crashes, and countless deaths, can be reviewed and better safety standards put into place, along with better compliance tracking to ensure no corners are cut, will help proactively instate regulations and laws where we don’t have to have a high-profile death before something happens.
Herbert Law Group Helps Truck Wreck Victims
If you have been involved in a truck crash, or if a loved one was killed in one, you can help encourage regulators to make better laws. It’s simply done by pursuing justice for you or your loved one.
Herbert Law Group has dealt with a lot of truck crashes. We know how to handle the insurance companies, we can deal with judges and juries, and we will find you justice for your loss. It all starts with a phone call so we can learn what happened, and figure out a plan on how we can help. Call our offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll reach out to you for a free conversation.