Is the Truck Parking Shortage Real?

In a recent article, we described the tough life of a long haul truck driver, and how a shortage of truck parking space could cause serious 18-wheeler crashes in Louisiana and elsewhere.

Truck drivers, at the end of a long driving day, or night, want to stop their truck, not only where they can park the big rig, but where the parking area offers amenities and conveniences they consider necessary. Some truck stops offer a lighted parking area, a fast food or conventional restaurant, a travel store, a Wi-Fi hot-spot, showers, truck scales, a maintenance shop, a fitness center, lodging, etc., while other places offer just parking space.

The shortage is therefore first a question of putting truck stops in categories of amenities offered, and checking what truckers want.

A second issue is to see where the truck stops are located, considering the freight traffic, the highway system and the likely hours and places when and where most trucks will converge to spend the evening and night. Most drivers, although not all, prefer driving during daytime, and most deliveries and pickups need to be made during the day.

The problem of truck parking areas is by its nature, a local problem. Local authorities in places with heavy commercial traffic should make space available for new truck stops, and select other places where truck drivers can safely park their rigs, even if only basic amenities are available.

Nobody wants a truck driver behind the wheel, exhausted after a long search for a decent rest place, to fall asleep and ram into a passenger car at an intersection. Who is to blame? Understanding the problem is the first step towards solving it.

If you have been hurt in a truck accident caused by someone else, contact the New Orleans car accident attorneys of the Young Firm for a FREE discussion of your case.