• HBK@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    1 month ago

    Regardless of truck size, I don’t think tractor trailers are going anywhere. Even if we made trucks smaller those would still be out there

    Smaller trucks would still get in accidents though, and I imagine they would be less deadly

    • zalgotext@sh.itjust.works
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      1 month ago

      Man, if only we could separate freight from commuter traffic. Like, imagine if all those tractor trailers were on their own separate road, but make it out of, IDK, metal or something so it can withstand the weight better. You could even just have metal right under the wheels, to reduce costs. But what do I know, I’m just some pie in the sky nobody who doesn’t know what he’s talking about

      • MasterMediasRes@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        That sounds like a neat idea—here’s a wild thought, what would happen if we tried the same thing with passengers? Eh, you’re right, sounds positively un-American.

      • pemptago@lemmy.ml
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        1 month ago

        Not to mention it would reduce all the underride crashes.

        All these improved vehicle safety standards are generally for bumper-to-bumper collisions, not windshield-to-truck-bed. Frontline released a well-done 2023 episode on it. Highly recommend.

        Edit: md link

      • ShepherdPie@midwest.social
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        1 month ago

        Unless you’re going to run train tracks to every business in existence, freight will need to be moved using a semi at some point.

        • zalgotext@sh.itjust.works
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          1 month ago

          I think getting semis off the highway where they’re going 60-70 mph would make a big difference in highway safety though. And you could have less semis going from depots to stores if stores were smaller and more frequent, such that deliveries could be made via cargo vans rather than semis.

    • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
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      1 month ago

      Tractor trailers are heavily regulated with training, licensing, driving hours and sleep break logging etc. Are they really a significant source of pedestrian collisions?

      • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        You should check out the safety stuff with them and cars. You’ll stay near one on the road again.

    • SaltySalamander@fedia.io
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      1 month ago

      Even if we made trucks smaller those would still be out there

      If we made them smaller there’d just be more of them on the road. There’d also be higher prices for everything to compensate for the extra expense of having those extra trucks and bodies to pilot them.