Commercial vehicles are some of the largest vehicles on the road, and as such, they often pose a greater safety risk when something goes wrong.
In response to rising numbers of commercial vehicle collisions, the California Highway Patrol is stepping up efforts to police those same vehicles in the area of the Coachella Valley.
In 2011, 152 crashes were reported in the area, a significant increase from the 120 crashes in 2010. Five people died as a result of the collisions. These were in addition to numerous injuries and 100-plus hours of road closures along Interstate 10.
Officers from the CHP’s local Desert Hills Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility, along with the CHP’s Indio station, have instituted a joint task force to crack down on commercial vehicles, with a special focus on speeding and driving outside the lines. These efforts will be ongoing throughout the year, and the CHP also plans to spread awareness of commercial driving safety through an educational campaign.
As a car accident attorney in San Jose, I find it worrisome when data suggests that accidents are increasing in a given locale. Let’s hope that the effort put forth by the CHP to curb commercial accidents nets results. I have confidence as a San Jose personal injury lawyer that these and measures like them go a long way toward assuring a safe commute.