Originally published by Arnold & Itkin.
Large commercial trucks pose an incredibly high risk for accidents simply
due to their large size and weight. Semis with trailers can weigh as much
as 80,000 pounds. Even without a load, a truck and trailer can weigh 35,000
pounds. Additionally, these vehicles are four to five times longer than
conventional cars.
Due to their size, anything that goes wrong with a truck in terms of damage
is automatically amplified. When regular passenger vehicles get into accidents due to
speeding or driver negligence, they can cause significant damage. Just think then
how much more damage can be caused when a truck driver is driving negligently
or over the speed limit.
When it Comes to Truck Drivers & Speeding, the Statistics are Scary.
According to the United States Department of Transportation (DOT), speeding
is the most common driver-related factor in crashes that involve large
commercial trucks. In fact, in a 2008 National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation
Survey, researchers found that 21% of all fatal crashes involved truck
driver who was driving too fast for weather conditions or over the legal
speed limit. Not only that, but almost 18% of the truck drivers involved in
fatal truck accidents had at least one prior speeding conviction on their record.
Why Do Truck Drivers Break Speeding Laws?
In spite of the danger, many truck drivers tend to speed. They often do
so because of pressure from their employers. Due to pressing shipping
deadlines, many truck drivers are under an intense amount of pressure.
For this reason, truck drivers are often guilty of speeding or cutting
corners when it comes to road safety. Unfortunately, this also puts other
drivers on American roadways at significant risk.
Because of the dangers of speeding, trucking companies should encourage
their drivers to drive under the speed limit and to take all necessary
precautions. It is not enough to encourage driver safety while also pushing
for deadlines that would appear to require unsafe speeds. Trucking companies
must be part of the solution when it comes to semi-truck driver safety,
not part of the problem.
Speeding Truck Drivers Endanger Others
Speeding is more of a problem for truck drivers than you might think. Traveling
at a velocity above 55 or 60 miles per hour is incredibly dangerous for
large commercial trucks. This is because vehicles of that size take significantly
longer to stop than conventional passenger vehicles.
This means that the collision risk is much higher for truck drivers than
it is for most American drivers. Speeding is always dangerous, but especially
when the driver in question is operating a massive vehicle that is many
times larger than other vehicles sharing the road with him / her.
To name a few, truck driver speeding may result in:
- Rear-end accidents
- Jackknife accidents
- Rollover accidents
I Was Hurt in an Accident with a Speeding Driver. What Should I Do?
If you were involved in an accident caused by a speeding truck driver,
we would encourage you to speak with a
truck accident attorney from our firm immediately. At Arnold & Itkin, we have ample experience
in helping injured victims achieve maximum recoveries. We understand how
to fight for your rights, and we’re prepared to go to bat for you.
Truck drivers need to be held accountable for negligent driving practices.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has established
a number of rules to promote driver compliance and the safety of American
roadways, where millions of trucks routinely transport goods and equipment
every year. If your accident and injury resulted from truck driver negligence,
then you should know that you are entitled to a personal injury claim.
Tough Advocacy from the Team at Arnold & Itkin
These types of accidents usually don’t cause minor injuries; unfortunately
they usually result in major damage. These damages need to be compensated
for by the responsible party or parties, which may include the truck driver
and / or trucking company involved in your accident. Should you become
our client, our team here at Arnold & Itkin is prepared to fight aggressively
and effectively on your behalf in order to see that you get the compensation
that you deserve.
For more information or a
free case evaluation, call Arnold & Itkin.
Curated by Texas Bar Today. Follow us on Twitter @texasbartoday.
from Texas Bar Today http://ift.tt/1pt8fFA
via Abogado Aly Website
No comments:
Post a Comment