Even as the New York Times and "PrimeTime Thursday" were reporting on shortfalls in security among the nation's munitions carriers late last week, two trucks hauling such loads were involved in highly publicized crashes.

According to published reports, Thursday evening, the driver a Tri-State Motor Transit truck hauling a load of explosives through downtown Charleston, W.V., choked on his coffee and lost control of his rig. He drove off the road and overturned. Interstate lanes were closed, and nearby residents were evacuated.
Friday morning, a Tri-State truck carrying Navy missiles went off Interstate 70 in western Maryland and overturned. Again, traffic was shut down and the area evacuated. The missiles did not spill.
The general media has pointed to the accidents and questioned the security of the nation's military shipments in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.
The Charleston (W.V.) Gazette reported the Tri-State's safety record left something to be desired, with nearly 500 hazardous materials accidents since 1990, at least 17 of those while hauling for the federal government and 10 for the military.
However, last year, when Tri-State was awarded a Department of Energy contract to transport radioactive waste, the paper reported, Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri, where Tri-State is based, said the company has "consistently beaten the national average for reportable accidents per million miles and owns an 'excellent' rating from the Department of Energy's Motor Carrier Evaluation Program."