I read with interest the Oct. 18 editorial, “Traffic laws can prevent tragedies,” which referenced the tragic loss of a mom, wife and teacher due to a loose utility trailer. This accident was totally preventable had we had an inspection and safety standards for trailers under 3,000 gross vehicle weight rating.
Please note the reason these trailers are not getting pulled over is because the way the law is currently written it is a secondary offense and not a primary. An offender must be committing an offense, like running a stop sign. Then the officer can provide a ticket for not having safety chains.
The clearest example I can provide of the magnitude of the infraction is the following: Would you secure your own child in a child safety seat without using the seat belt, improper level and homemade? In this example, do we allow people to make homemade child safety seats? I ask then why is the person behind you any less important than your own child?
For the complete article, please pick up a copy of The Daily Reflector or purchase today’s electronic edition at http://www.reflector.com/circ-store. Current home delivery and electronic edition subscribers may log in to access this article at no charge. To become a subscriber, please click here or contact Customer Service at (252) 329-9505.
Comments
trailers
Ron has worked himself to the point of being obcessed,but I know how it is.
Like I have told Ron and many people..I hate to say it but the only way this nationwide uncontroled trailer towing will get better is if some important bigwig or polotician gets killed..Now heres one for you from Missouri.A van pulling a 2 axel 20ft boat-the boat pulling a trailer with 2 4 wheelers on it and the 4 wheeler trailer pulling a trailer with a skidoo..
The last 2 trailers have no brakes at all..All legal in MO and my biggest gripe the van has no license plates..They do not put license on the back of trucks and vans etc in MO.Now think on that awhile.Truck causes big wreck people killed and drives away,but no one can give a license number..
This just happed in Kansas!!!
By George Diepenbrock
October 22, 2010
The Douglas County Sheriff’s office said a trailer that dislodged from a pickup truck caused an accident Thursday night on Kansas Highway 10 near Eudora.
Sgt. Steve Lewis, sheriff’s spokesman, said a trailer came loose from an eastbound GMC pickup truck about 8:20 p.m. The trailer crossed the highway’s median and entered the westbound lanes.
Briana Arensberg, 22 of Lawrence, was driving westbound in a 2006 Mitsubishi. The trailer struck her vehicle, which tipped over onto its driver’s side.
Lewis said Arensberg was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital with an arm injury. An LMH spokeswoman said Arensberg had been treated and released.
The pickup’s driver, Eric Dove, 46 of Linwood, was not injured. Lewis said no citations were listed on the report Friday but that the report was not yet complete.
Good Stuff
A+ for Ron.
See this editoral in August...
This was published in August...NOTE THE PICTURE IS OF A TRAILER from your STATE!!!
http://blogs.8-lug.com/6700254/editorials/trailer-life/index.html
I super enhanced the picture and the plate number is North Carolina..
BP-62236 It clearly is a North Carolina Trailer
How many times do people have to tell you to be careful when trailering? Remember this picture. Kevin Busta is lucky to be alive after someone didn’t respect the damage a loose trailer can cause. Someone decided that it would be “good enough” to use a 1 7/8-inch ball on a 2 5/16-inch hitch and then didn’t bother to hook up the safety chains. Maybe the trailer didn’t even have safety chains at all. When the trailer (predictably) came loose it shot across three lanes of highway and into oncoming traffic, directly in Kevin’s path.
• Get a Free Quote • Find a Local Dealer
Kevin hit the trailer head-on at 60 mph and his Dodge flipped end-over-end seven times, coming to rest 262 feet down the road. Kevin was airlifted to the hospital and was lucky to survive. He’s fine now, but let this horrific crash be a reminder that you can’t take trailering lightly. Thanks to Sina Norris for the photo.
Here as promised is the stunning letter
Before 2010 Virginia had the same issue see this report from 2006
Quote from last page..
However, Virginia State Code is silent as to any design or construction specifications for these vehicles or for towing chains and hitches. The purpose of this technical alert is to draw attention to the potential dangers of unsafe trailers on roadways in the Commonwealth. In many cases, towed trailers may be in obvious violation of safety codes that relate to lighting, braking and inspection requirements.
We fixed it with Senate Bill 646 full report http://www.dangeroustrailers.org/uploads/TA14new.pdf
Now see the stunning letter that is simply outrageous because "nothing has been done except to produce a booklet" http://www.dangeroustrailers.org/Stunning_Letter.html
In England we have made movement where a member of Parliament is going to ask what we want to ask in the United States see this..
http://www.dangeroustrailers.org/Movement_In_England.html
Since 1975 15,592 lives lost
Since 1988 over 489,267 injured
Since 1988 over 857,786 things damaged and NO INSURANCE COMPANY IS UNDERWRITING or even asking "What Are You Towing"?
See this....yes...a Smart Car can't tow anything but yet this is allowed to endanger life?
http://www.dangeroustrailers.org/Smart_Car_Hitch_.html
And to show the level of incompetence...see this Video from 1997 Someone sent it to us!! Note No action has been taken even in that state.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jBs8KrjAFA
Trailers
On aug 4th, 2005 my brother died when a trailer came loose and hit him head on. John Lotter left behind a wife and two small boys that he loved so very much! My life changed forever the day I got the phone call, I still have the pain and anger and always will! We all thought it was a freak accident, what are the odds of that happeneing again? One day I googled my brothers name and found a website dangeroustrailers.org, I went to that and found my brother's picture, I was shocked! No one in the family knew that it was there so I e-mailed the owner, Ron Melancon, and the very next morning I got an e-mail back! I had no idea that this happened so and so many more have died the same way! In april of this year a 19 year old women was killed the same way and on the same highway as my brother, it was like reliving it all over again! I knew something had to be done and soon! Ron has helped me so much to try to get the word out there and get the laws changed and he never pushed me to do anything, he always said " only if you are ready to tell your story" and I was, anything for my brother and to save lives! Its still hard for me, I miss him so much! I never got the chance to say I love you and goodbye! Ron you are a great man and you speak for all that have died that way and for that I thank you with all my heart!! Some day our dream will come true and the laws will be changed and lives will be saved!!
This paper is courageous
The lives that might be saved by the actions of this paper is encouraging. I have written many....many...similar letters to many papers and have been published. The comment I referenced from your Editorial Staff was by far the best written and clear I have read. You see other Editorial Staffs have also written letters and for some reason nothing gets done. I will post one letter from Norman Minetta I will post the link in a second posting. However I will post what my State Senator John Watkins conveyed on a nomination and again this letter was written 6 months prior to this tragic loss of life.. Why would a State Senator Do this if we were not CREDIBLE?
We were honored to have a letter of nomination see full letter here:
http://www.dangeroustrailers.org/Nomination_By_Senator_VA.html
Quote " Ron contacted insurance companies, trailer companies and the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and received no assistance.
He decided to "go it alone", distributing flyers, which he printed himself, talking
to state and federal political representatives, letters to newspapers, researching
trailer safety and accidents, establishing a web site."
and if these Utility Trailers are so safe why did the Louisiana State police declare "A STATE OF EMERGENCY" back in 2000!!
DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY
Department of Public Safety and Corrections
Office of State Police
Safety Devices for Trailers
(LAC 55:I.2323)
In accordance with the emergency provisions of the
Administrative Procedures Act, R.S. 49:953 B, and R.S.
32:384 the Office of State Police is declaring an emergency
due to the public safety hazard posed by the inadequacy of
safety chains to maintain control of a trailer which has
become disconnected from the vehicle pulling it. This hazard
has resulted in serious injury and death as a result of these
disconnected trailers striking other vehicles on Louisiana
roads and highways. The Legislature has statutorily provided
[at R.S. 32:384(E)] for a safety device which would serve as
an alternative to safety chains, but such statute requires the
promulgation of a rule by the Office of the State Police
which would outline the process for approval of such a
device.
The following Rule was inadvertently deleted from a
previously promulgated chapter concerning the Weights and
Standards Mobile Police Force. The built-in time periods for
promulgation of this Rule would create an unacceptable
delay in approving such safety device.
The immediate promulgation of this rule would allow for
a more timely approval of such a safety device, which in
turn, could save lives. The effective date of this Emergency
Rule is December 8, 2000, and it shall be in effect for 120
days or until the final rule takes effect through normal
promulgation process, whichever occurs first.
Title 55
PUBLIC SAFETY
Part I. State Police
Chapter
Add comment
Mutual Funds can be a Great Investment. Learn More Today!
ssgaFunds.com/BestMutualFund
53yr Old Woman, Looks 25
Mom reveals simple wrinkle trick that has angered doctors...
www.ConsumerLifestyleMag.com
53-Year-Old Mom Looks 27
Follow this 1 weird tip and remove 20 years of wrinkles in 21 days.
SmartConsumerMagazine.com
Woman is 51 But Looks 25
Mom cut 20 years in a week by using this 1 weird trick...
ConsumerLifestyles.org