Many of the personal injury or wrongful death cases we discuss on this Texas blog involve the commercial trucking industry. Wrecks involving trucks are often some of the most severe, which is why improving safety within the industry is of such importance in Texas and throughout the country.

There is an upcoming change in the field of commercial trucking, and some are worried that the change could be a significant step back in the process toward preventing truck accidents in El Paso and other areas near the border of Mexico.

It was recently announced by officials that Mexico and the U.S. have come to an agreement that will allow trucks from Mexico to drive though U.S. territory to transport shipments. Until the terms of the agreement are enacted, Mexican trucks have been allowed in the U.S. in limited border areas.

Those who support the business arrangement do so because they are looking at the business aspect of the deal. This is a tough economy, and the international trucking deal will reportedly mean saved costs, more profit and potential job-building power. There is another aspect of the arrangement that its critics are concerned with: safety.

According to an El Paso report, Texas inspections into the safety of trucks from Mexico in the past nearly four years have revealed more than one million violations. The safety violations include problems with brakes, tires, lights and more. If trucks with such problems weren't stopped by safety officials and were free to roam El Paso roads, accidents could likely occur and cost people their lives.

Those for the new agreement between the U.S. and Mexico claim that the number of violations found among Mexico's trucks are not different compared to the number of violations found among U.S. trucks.

Only the future will tell whether traffic safety will be negatively affected by the looming change in the trucking industry. We will post an update if there are developments regarding this important matter.

Source

Fox News Latino: "Mexican Trucks Entering US Cited for 1 Million Violations," Bryan Llenas, Aug. 23, 2011