Mexican Trucks and Truckers and the High Costs of "Free" Trade

I already mentioned in another article the curious relationship between expansion of free trade and reduction in American job opportunities. I mentioned the staggering number of safety violations found in unsafe Mexican trucks crossing our borders, and the lack of U.S. government authority to even require higher standards of Mexican trucks and truckers. I told you how you would be paying for any upgrades in safety for these unsafe Mexican trucks that the government wants rolling across our borders. I even mentioned some of the cargos you might expect these Mexican trucks and truckers to bring occasionally into our country in the name of free trade. So I won't discuss any of that again here.

I want to focus on the implications of large numbers of unsafe Mexican trucks on our roads for one of my practice areas: truck accident injuries and fatalities. I've been thinking about it, and I just can't find any basis for believing that the increase in the numbers of Mexican trucks rolling into our country won't cause a similar increase in the numbers of serious accident injuries and fatalities from truck wrecks. And what do you suppose happens once you suffer a serious wreck caused by a truck from Mexico? Or, worse yet, you lose family members to such a wreck? Who pays for your accident injuries and fatalities?

Do you think the Mexican trucks and truckers carry the high amounts of liability insurance our American trucks must carry? Do you think that the court in which you file your claim for financial compensation has jurisdiction over the Mexican trucking company that owns the truck that harmed you? Do you think that maybe free trade agreements like NAFTA might even provide special immunities to the foreign interests covered under the treaty?

If a Mexican truck hits you, or if a wreck with an unsafe Mexican truck wrongfully kills your loved ones, you may be left without recourse. You'll have to shoulder the expenses of any truck accident injuries and fatalities alone. Do you think maybe the U.S. government will help you collect proper financial compensation for the accident with the Mexican truck? Has it helped you so far? Or do you maybe find that our government is too busy devoting its efforts to aiding special interests to help you?