Change urged amid spike in deadly semi, big truck crashes
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tractor-trailers and other large trucks aren't required to have crash-avoidance technology, despite thousands of crashes annually and repeated calls for it to be mandated.
Federal data shows that more than 4,300 people were killed in accidents involving semis and other large trucks in 2016, a 28 percent increase over 2009, The Kansas City Star reports .
Despite the risk, The Star found that the National Highway Traffic Safety has largely ignored repeated pleas from the National Transportation Safety Board to take action that would prevent trucks from rear-ending other vehicles.