Skolnik

Releases from trucks carrying various dangerous goods increased in 1997 though flammable liquid releases decreased slightly. Thirty-eight percent of releases in fatal crashes were from flammable liquid cargo in ‘96, and dropped to 29% in ’97. But Class 9 dangerous goods, which include liquid and solid haz-waste and PCB‘s, increased from 9% in ’96 to 31% in ‘97. Hazardous materials play a minor role in domestic truck crash statistics as hazardous cargo in most cases is not released in accidents. However, shippers are cautioned to consider transport mode when selecting packaging and to upgrade from minimum standards to reduce risk of accidental failure.