There are many answers to question posed in the title of this article.  One of those answers is revealed in statistics concerning fatal crashes in 2010.  In 2010, 3,446 truck drivers were involved in fatal crashes.  Approximately 1/3 of the truck drivers involved in fatal crashes were cited in police crash reports for contributing “driver-related factors” such as speeding, fatigue or inattention.

These numbers suggest that more than 1,000 fatal crashes involving trucks in 2010 could have been prevented.  This author argues that, if the truck drivers involved in these fatal crashes were following the safety regulations promulgated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the number of fatal truck crashes on our roadways would be significantly reduced and hundreds of tragedies would be avoided.