Man pushes for safer trailers

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September 22, 2009 6:13 PM

Robert Boyer / Times-News

Reflective tape that costs no more than $10 might have saved the life of Joan McKinney of Rockingham County, says safety advocate Ron Melancon.

McKinney, 51, was driving a tractor on High Rock Road in southeastern Rockingham County shortly after 8 p.m. on Sept. 11 when a truck struck the rear of the trailer she was pulling. The front of the trailer disengaged and sailed over the driver’s seat, striking McKinney on the head and killing her.

William Lynn, the man driving the truck, was unable to see the trailer, which was carrying hay, Trooper A.B. Alcorn of the state Highway Patrol reported.

There were no lights or reflectors on the rear of the trailer, according to Alcon’s draft report.

Between 1975 and 2008, 297 people in North Carolina and 15,213 in the U.S. have died in similar crashes involving trailers, many of which were without reflectors or reflective tape, says Melancon, who created Dangerous Trailers, an organization that pushes for legislation requiring trailer manufacturers to install reflective tape.

A salesman who lives in Richmond, Va., Melancon began working on the issue after he failed to see a trailer with no lights and reflectors and rear-ended it in 2003.

North Carolina law requires trailers 4,000 pounds or lighter have “two red reflectors of a diameter of not less than three inches,” that must be installed “so that each reflector is visible for at least 500 feet when approached by a motor vehicle displaying lawful undimmed headlights at night on an unlighted highway.”

The law, though, fails to specify who is responsible for installing the reflectors.

Fewer deaths would occur if manufacturers were required to equip their trailers with reflector tape, Melancon said.

On Tuesday, the Times-News asked Alamance County’s representatives in the General Assembly — state Reps. Alice Bordsen and Dan Ingle, and Sen. Tony Foriest — what they thought about adding the manufacturer requirement to state law.

Foriest said the issue is not among the items he is focusing on for the next legislative session but he isn’t against considering the idea. “I’m not opposed to doing whatever I can to save lives,” said Foriest, a Democrat who represents Alamance and Caswell counties. “If it can make a difference in the lives of our citizens, I wouldn’t mind being involved.”

“It sounds like that the state has it etched in law that (reflectors) will be there,” said Ingle, a Republican who represents District 64, which covers mostly rural areas of Alamance County.

Many trailers on local roads are homemade rigs and therefore wouldn’t be covered by a change in the law, Ingle said.

It would be more effective, Ingle added, to raise awareness about the current law’s requirements through farmer’s groups like the Farm Bureau.

Bordsen, a Democrat who represents District 63, a boot-shaped stretch that extends from the Alamance County’s northeastern corner through Burlington, said it appears at first glance that state law should be clearer in spelling out who is responsible for installing reflectors. “In principle, I have no opposition, but I would like to know more.”

Bordsen thinks it would be a good idea to bring together manufacturers, retailers, trailer users and other stakeholders to discuss the issue and weigh factors like cost, benefits and possible consequences of changing the law. One issue that could prove thorny, Bordsen said, is the question of how to deal with those who drive trailers from other states into North Carolina.

Melancon successfully pushed for a law in Virginia requiring two or more reflectors or more than eight feet of reflective tape on the rear of trailers. Requiring trailer manufacturers to install quality reflective tape would cost $8 to $10, he said. He is not a fan of plastic reflectors. “The little cheap reflectors snap off and break.”

In other states, manufacturers worried about cost and competition have been fighting his efforts, he said.

At least one major retailer based in North Carolina puts the tape on every trailer they sell.

Since May 2005, reflective tape has been standard equipment on all trailers sold by the Lowes, Inc. of Mooresville, said company spokeswoman Karen Cobb. The tape, Cobb said, conforms to all federal and state requirements.

Note: What about the United States??

What about the United Kingdom?

We have the same problem here in our Country....

Why is New Zeland acting and we are not?

It is because of the powerful "Utility Trailer Industry" they have lobbied our Political leaders.

Coroner calls for A1 tow bar check

By LEIGHTON KEITH - Taranaki Daily News

Last updated 05:00 22/09/2009

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A coroner has urged all motorists with a particular brand of tow bar to have a safety check done.

A faulty tow bar, made by Auckland's A1 Bars 1994 Ltd, was found to be responsible for the death of former Taranaki cricket representative Donovan Allen Shelver in November 2005, at a coroner's inquest at the New Plymouth courthouse in August.

The 28-year-old was killed when a boat and trailer broke away from the towing vehicle and speared into his ute, on State Highway 3, near Inglewood.

A police Serious Crash Unit report concluded the direct cause of the crash could be attributed to the failure of the tow bar assembly located near the vehicle's chassis.

Coroner Tim Scott has recommended that anyone who owned or used a vehicle fitted with a tow bar made by the company have a safety compliance check carried out.

"Either at a warrant of fitness testing station or by a competent engineering specialist," Mr Scott said.

One report said the design and workmanship on the tow bar was appalling, while another stated its design strength was totally inadequate.

Mr Scott also recommended the New Zealand Transport Agency draw the public's attention to the concerns by placing safety concern notices in daily newspapers and other publications.

Police considered laying criminal charges against the director of A1 Bars 1994 Ltd, Roger Provan, but as it no longer existed no charges were laid.

Mr Provan is still making tow bars under the company name A1 Bars Ltd, which was first registered in April 2002.

At the August inquest Mr Scott also wanted the NZTA to set mandatory safety standards for light duty tow bars.

He directed the NZTA to report back on its progress within three months.

Dangerous Trailers... They're Out There!

Dangerous Trailers... They're Out There!
Author: Captain Woody Gore | Posted: 07/05/2009

When it's time to hitch up the trailer and go… you hitch up and go. But do you really understand what you're doing when you're dragging all that weight around behind you? You should because you're betting your life and the lives of other on the road that you do. Regardless, whether you're hauling yard trash to the dump, your ATV's to hunting camp or heading to the boat ramp for a day on the water, improper towing can and often does result in a serious accident.



Trailers including those homemade contraptions being towed on Florida's streets, roads and highways are required to have 1.) A trailer hitch and safety chains/cables capable of handling the weight being towed. 2.) It must have lights, stop lights, and turn signals. 3.) And depending on its weight it will require brakes on one or more axles. Further information can be obtained by checking the Florida Statutes on Motor Vehicles, Chapter 316 State Uniform Traffic Control.



Data collected through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over a five year period indicates there is an average in excess of 68,000 accidents each year involving passenger vehicles towing trailers. The average fatalities from these accidents surpass 440 persons per year. The average numbers of injuries from these accidents exceed 24,000 per year, with an average property damage resulting in over 43,000 per year. The bottom line is… there is no excuse for these kinds of statistics.



Three alarming facts that should concern everyone were revealed in a recent study. First, it confirmed that a good number of drivers have little knowledge or understanding about what's going on behind their vehicle in a towing situation. Second, it revealed most drivers admitted they had no indication as to weight limits, braking, backing, passing, proper set up or how to actually handle a trailer in tow. And to top everything off many felt they didn't need to learn.



Florida Trailer Accidents: Here are a few trailer accidents that were reported in Florida newspapers.

1. Runaway trailer kills boy waiting for bus one boy was killed and two others badly injured Friday when a trailer broke loose from a pickup truck and slammed into a group of youngsters waiting for a school bus. The trailer broke from the truck into a group of about 12 middle school children. Lake Mary, Fl.
2. Trailer breaks loose, sends machine over rail in Port Richey, Fl.
3. Trailer breaks loose in traffic, seriously injuring Largo woman.
4. Loose trailer injures construction workers two highway flagmen.
5. One killed in collision as trailer unhitches. An unidentified man died.
6. Trailer smashes into restaurant.
7. Runaway trailer hits truck fuel truck driver.
8. Trailer strikes girl playing in front yard.



So, what can be about it? It's almost inevitable that during the course of a driver's life they will have an occasion to tow something. So, a good starting point would be to start an education program teaching drivers how to tow a trailer. Perhaps it should become part of the driver license examination and driving test. And while I don't advocate government intervention there are times when things should be standardized. Like nationally standardizing the towing laws requiring all states to adopt the same towing safety equipment, requirements and regulations. It hardly makes sense why we need 50 different laws regulating towing and the safe operation of a trailer. It puzzles me why a trailer in Florida would need brakes but the same trailer in another state would not? Couple this inconstancy with folks unawareness to do it properly and you've got the making of a serious accident with injury or death.



Everyone knows that half of the battle is education and the other half is enforcement. Law enforcement officers have or should have the required training concerning towing laws and requirements are for trailer safety. So why isn't a measure of attention paid to those towing trailers with unsafe hitches, no safety chains, lights, brakes, and faulty tires? We all understand that seatbelts are designed to save lives. And tickets are issued when they are not worn. If that's the case then stopping someone from towing an unsafe trailer should save lives. After all they are endangering themselves and everyone else on and off the road. Isn't prevention of accidents a part of traffic law enforcement?



Where do you go to learn how to safely pull a trailer? Fortunately, there's no shortage of towing information including guidebooks and online tutorials. Here are a few simple to follow suggestions.


Before you hitch up… check your vehicle and trailer owner's manuals for recommended towing capacities, and ensure that both your vehicle and trailer comply with equipment requirements like: hitch, safety chains, lights rear and side view mirrors, and brakes. After you hitch up… perform a walk-around inspection 1.) Is the hitch properly latched and locked: 2.) Are the safety chains properly attached: 3.) Do the lights, turn signals and brake light work: 4.) Are the tires properly inflated: 5.) Is the load properly distributed and tied down?



Driving with care… towing a loaded or unloaded trailer is different from everyday driving. You need to anticipate how the trailer will respond to your every move, especially when slowing down, turning, and stopping. Knowing how to operate trailer brake controls or react when a trailer veers out of control requires training and practice. Always drive at moderate speeds and maintain additional space between you and the vehicle ahead. Your brakes may be capable of stopping you and your load but will always require extra stopping distances. When passing or maneuvering around other vehicles remember to allow extra room. A wider turn radius is also necessary to avoid curbs and roadside obstacles.



If you must back the trailer it's important to remember this is completely different from backing your car or truck and requires practice and skill. Turn the steering wheel in small increments. A slight turn of the steering wheel causes a big turn at the end of the trailer.



Here's a little project for you. The next time you're out and about take notice of the countless numbers of trailers being hauled daily on our roadways. Look closely and you'll see that many are improperly attached to the tow vehicle, don't have working lights, safety chains and are unacceptably maintained. Then ask yourself, why am I riding behind or next to this person trying to kill or injury me or my family?



On a side note: Recently, after doing some investigation, I found a company in Texas named Safety Sentry Inc. (www.safetysentryinc.com) that manufactures a simple and completely secure trailer locking device. Not only does prevent the trailer from unhitching it adds a level of security from theft. I bring this up because over the last several years I known anglers that launched for a fun day of fishing only to return to the ramp and find their trailer stolen.



This article was written by Capt. Woody Gore owner of SportFishing Unlimited and Outdoor Communications. Capt Gore is a professional fishing and outdoor guide, photo-journalist and speaker. If you would like to contact him please visit his website at www.captainwoodygore.com or call his cell at 813-477-3814

Trailer Detachment - The “Hidden” Cause Of Multiple Fatalities and Catastrophic Injuries - An Experienced Philadelphia Product Liability Lawyer Speak

Posted On: April 3, 2009 by Jeffrey M. Reiff

Trailer Detachment - The “Hidden” Cause Of Multiple Fatalities and Catastrophic Injuries - An Experienced Philadelphia Product Liability Lawyer Speaks Out

For many months, I have been blogging about the dangers of defective trailer hitches and the lack of safety posed to otherwise innocent and unsuspecting victims by many trailers being pulled by vehicles. According to NHTSA statistics, every week in the United States there are 418 injuries, 8 deaths and 775 incidents of property damage caused by vehicles towing trailers. One of the unsung heroes of the defective trailer crisis in an individual known as Ron Melancon who maintains a website at his own expense known as dangeroustrailers.org. Ron maintains a daily vigil on trailer accidents occurring throughout the United States and the world and has tirelessly worked on behalf of those injured by these vehicles to lobby the government and industry to mandate safer standards, guidelines and quality control.

Recently an incident occurred in Oregon where a trailer being pulled by an RV came loose while transiting thorough a tunnel causing another vehicle traveling in the opposite direction to crash head on into the trailer. It is important to recognize that the utility trailer industry has continued to stop any attempts to improve trailer safety. It is continuously important to recognize that trailers under the weight of 3,000 lbs. are unregulated in most states in this country. State codes in most of our states are silent as to any design or construction specification for those vehicles or for towing chains and hitches. The utility trailer industry maintains a strong lobby to stop any attempts to improve this class of vehicle in all 50 states by not requiring a federal standard on trailer hitches since 1972.

The defective trailer hitch attorneys at Reiff and Bily join Ron Melancon and other committed consumer safety advocates to bring a new national standard to implement, improve, reduce and eliminate deaths and catastrophic injuries due to defective trailer hitches and defective trailer manufacturer. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident resulting from a defective trailer or caused by a trailer being towed by another vehicle, please contact the defective trailer and defective trailer hitch attorneys at Reiff and Bily at 1-800-421-9595 or contact us online for a free no obligation consultation at www.reiffandbily.com.

The experienced lawyers at Reiff and Bily have been handling thousands of catastrophic injury cases and fatalities since 1979 and are committed to promoting safety on our roads and highways.

Posted by Jeffrey M. Reiff | Permalink | Email This Post

Finlay trailer campaign gets TV coverage

Published Date: 11 February 2009

A BBC programme has documented a family's campaign following the death of a four-year-old boy in Heage.

Finlay Martin was killed by a runaway trailer that had become detached from a car when he was walking down Old Road with his mother Zoe in July 2007.

The trailer was defective and contravened road vehicle regulations.

The BBC East Midlands Inside Out programme, aired on February 4, highlighted the campaign started by Heage councillor Juliette Blake and revealed the Government is aiming to include checks on towbars as part of the MoT for cars and vans, as a direct result of what happened to Finlay.

If the law gets changed in England, it will be called 'Finlay's Law'. But campaigners want the law to be changed even further so trailers have to undergo MoTs to ensure they are safe to be on the roads.

Since the incident, Cllr Blake, along with Finlay's parents Wayne and Zoe, have been campaigning for a change in the law.

Cllr Blake said: "This is a move in the right direction but I won't be satisfied until I get what I want, to take the millions of unroadworthy trailers off the street."

An inquest into Finlay's death revealed a number of faults with the trailer, including ineffective brakes. When the trailer was examined it was found to have no breakaway cable, a legal requirement which enables the trailer to brake if it comes away from the vehicle.

It was also found that, had it been fitted with such a device, it would have had no effect because the brakes were faulty.

Featured !! Hazards on America’s highways

While repairs allowed ODOT to reopen the closed lane to traffic much earlier than anticipated, speed and weight restrictions still apply as repairs continue. Published January 08, 2009 09:31 am - Last week a trailer broke loose from the pickup that was pulling it and crashed into a bridge on SH 66 just inside Catoosa city limits.

Hazards on America’s highways
Unregulated trailers could be the cause of traffic fatalities

By Joy Hampton
CLAREMORE DAILY PROGRESS

January 8, 2009 —

Last week a trailer broke loose from the pickup that was pulling it and crashed into a bridge on SH 66 just inside Catoosa city limits. Oklahoma Department of Transportation officials reported a support beam on the steel truss bridge had been severed and closed one lane while repairs were made.

If a loose trailer can sever a steel support beam, what damage could it do to another vehicle? To a human body?

Motorist turned activist, Ron Melancon, has been trying to raise awareness nationwide to the problem of unregulated trailers on America’s highways. Melancon was returning home from a visit to his local library with his son May 17, 2003 when he hit the back of a trailer.

The license plate by the stop lamp on the trailer disguised the fact that the trailer bed actually extended two feet beyond that point, causing Melancon to misjudge the distance.

After the accident, Melancon become obsessed with solving the problem. His actions eventually led to legislation requiring reflective tape on the ends of trailers for greater safety.

Melancon did not stop there, however. His studies into problems with unregulated trailers which often improperly hitched or pulled by inexperienced haulers have revealed what he believes is a serious problem on America’s roadways. His web site dangeroustrailers.org is dedicated to saving lives through promoting awareness and fighting for legislation to protect drivers from the hazards of these trailers.

Most states do not regulate trailers under 3,000 pounds, said Melancon.

Documenting the extent of the problem has been challenging because trailers as the cause of a crash are not tracked by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a division operating under the US Department of Transportation.

What is known is that in 2004, an estimated 65,000 crashes involving a passenger vehicle with a “trailing unit” occurred according to NHTSA data. Those crashes resulted in 422 fatalities and an “estimated 27,000 persons injured.”

In 2006, there were 363 fatal crashes in which a total of 419 persons were killed. An estimated 12,000 total crashes involving trailers occurred with approximately 20,000 persons injured.

According to Oklahoma Highway Safety data analyst Kathy Evans, 2007 data will be more inclusive in many categories, but numbers of trailers causing accidents is not tracked.

Hazards on America’s highways Unregulated trailers could be the cause of traffic fatalities

Published January 08, 2009 11:16 am - Last week a trailer broke loose from the pickup that was pulling it and crashed into a bridge on SH 66 just inside Catoosa city limits.

Hazards on America’s highways
Unregulated trailers could be the cause of traffic fatalities

By Joy Hampton
CLAREMORE DAILY PROGRESS

January 8, 2009 —

Last week a trailer broke loose from the pickup that was pulling it and crashed into a bridge on SH 66 just inside Catoosa city limits. Oklahoma Department of Transportation officials reported a support beam on the steel truss bridge had been severed and closed one lane while repairs were made.

While repairs allowed ODOT to reopen the closed lane to traffic much earlier than anticipated, speed and weight restrictions still apply as repairs continue.

If a loose trailer can sever a steel support beam, what damage could it do to another vehicle? To a human body?

Motorist turned activist, Ron Melancon, has been trying to raise awareness nationwide to the problem of unregulated trailers on America’s highways. Melancon was returning home from a visit to his local library with his son May 17, 2003 when he hit the back of a trailer.

The license plate by the stop lamp on the trailer disguised the fact that the trailer bed actually extended two feet beyond that point, causing Melancon to misjudge the distance.

After the accident, Melancon become obsessed with solving the problem. His actions eventually led to legislation requiring reflective tape on the ends of trailers for greater safety.

Melancon did not stop there, however. His studies into problems with unregulated trailers which often improperly hitched or pulled by inexperienced haulers have revealed what he believes is a serious problem on America’s roadways. His web site dangeroustrailers.org is dedicated to saving lives through promoting awareness and fighting for legislation to protect drivers from the hazards of these trailers.

Most states do not regulate trailers under 3,000 pounds, said Melancon.

Documenting the extent of the problem has been challenging because trailers as the cause of a crash are not tracked by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a division operating under the US Department of Transportation.

What is known is that in 2004, an estimated 65,000 crashes involving a passenger vehicle with a “trailing unit” occurred according to NHTSA data. Those crashes resulted in 422 fatalities and an “estimated 27,000 persons injured.”

In 2006, there were 363 fatal crashes in which a total of 419 persons were killed. An estimated 12,000 total crashes involving trailers occurred with approximately 20,000 persons injured.

According to Oklahoma Highway Safety data analyst Kathy Evans, 2007 data will be more inclusive in many categories, but numbers of trailers causing accidents is not tracked.