In 1971 J. Standard Baker Quoted " Drivers Towing Trailers  Are Four (4) Times As Unsafe As Those In Cars Alone! 

Ron J. Melancon President

www.dangeroustrailers.org

8898 Castle Point Drive

Glen Allen,  VA  23060

804-300-3925

Loose trailers that come unsecured and strike unsuspecting innocent drivers of vehicles is a legitimate public safety concern.    We simply ask that you educate yourself as to the reasons why the deaths of over 20,000 since 1975.  If we add hayrides, parades floats and,  at least, a 15% unreported rate,  we would have over 28,000 dead men, women and children by a passenger vehicle that is towing a trailer.  An additional 1,000,000 injuries would also need to be included since 1988 and well over 1,500,000 vehicles including homes, business and other objects have been damaged or destroyed.

We happened  upon your most recent report on yet another incident involving a "Passenger Vehicle Towing A Trailer" that your total lack of product knowledge / concerns, to me and us, is notable.

For example,  points of interest to us include concern of identifying loss data on commercial motor vehicles (big rigs), "4-wheeler" vehicles, loss prevention,  as well as other topics associated with a "pet project" or "soapbox issue", that getting an insurance loss prevention entity to gather data, then a take serious look at costs associated with utility type trailers.

For over 15 years now,  many victims have come across Ron Melancon and his many web pages including DangerousTrailers.org
andhttps://www.dangeroustrailers.org/page222.html.

These are 'utility trailers' ... the open lawnmower / ATV hauling types to the double axle construction material/equipment versions, the livestock trailers, the boat trailers, the enclosed trailers for 'toys' and contractor / landscaper professionals.  Loss is not quantified for folk like generally young uninsured businessmen, non-profit church groups.  The amount death and mayhem costs seems ignored. 

It is apparent to us that a data void exists allowing ignorance to rule.  Most, if not all, law enforcement accident reports fail to annotate vehicles drawing trailers, involvement of trailers in causation, nor equipment failures.  Law enforcement personnel seem to lack training to recognize the specialties of safety /maintenance of such vehicles.  Many states fail to require licensing & registration which allows an unbelievable numbers of thefts to go undetected.  Numerous tales of death and destruction begin with "trailer became unattached, went across the median into oncoming traffic causing death". 

Please click here VCU Report Dated 2006 and pay attention to the last page that details in stunning fashion our claims made above.

Yet, as near as I can tell, no insurance company properly factors these losses into prices and more importantly none work with manufacturers / governments to enact reasonable loss prevention regulation or provide training for law enforcement.  

A quick example - a move was made for legislation to require new utility trailers have reflective tape on the back/tail gate as is required for Tractor/Trailers.  The cost was estimated about a dollar a unit.  The legislation was resisted and refused by a manufacturers organization despite low costs and obvious increase in safety.  Has any factored these simple differences in equipment into loss statistical analysis for rate setting?

Click here to see how effective the law is

Here is our evidence and the numbers speak for themselves as you can ascertain our stunning concerns that we ask why,  such massive efforts to install $5,000 dollars per trailer "Angel Wings" to protect drivers who are hitting the trailer?  People hit trees and suffer deaths but not a single insurance company, not a single government agency address the fact that loose trailers come off and hit innocent men, women and children wearing seat belts and seat belts getting killed in their own vehicle doing nothing wrong.

Click Here For The Massive Investment By Political Parties And Industry's Who will make tons of money "Mandating" this feature.

Click Here For The more than 28,000 deaths when we include "The Forgotten" over 1,000,000 injuries and over 1,500,000 damaged vehicles and property figures.

Interesting ... I suggest you drill in on the fact the largest numbers of deaths are rear end collisions - striking reinforced 'under ride bars' that have been required since forever .. .and yet ALL those deaths. Perhaps they need air bags or something different

Deaths

Does any insurance company including  Verisk,  clients recognize their losses to these issues?
We have a wealth of information - both institutional knowledge of these issues and a treasure trove of data available.  Should Verisk choose to forge ahead of the pack.  I (Tim) , and Ron, would be pleased to know the light of day might finally shine on the reason for thousands of deaths.
Please ....

Sincerely;
Ron J. Melancon

Tim H

Victims loose trailer families

PS: We found,
for what it is worth, we found your website because of your report on Insurance Institute crash reports of big rig underride guards.  I queried that after reading of a coalition of thirty groups contesting proposed legislation including SB 665 and HB1511 dealing with require tractor-trailers with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more to install rear, side, and front underride guards.
From that I was amazed.
Our  purpose of annotating this path is the possibility you would desire to be aware of the 'backlash' and differing opinion.  Read Owner/Operator Independent Trucker Association Land Line Magazine article at 

https://landline.media/ooida-coalition-stands-up-against-expensive-trucking-mandates/