Truck Wreck | 18 Wheeler Accident Attorney
The operation of tractor-trailer rigs, along with most commercial vehicles, is heavily regulated under federal and state law. Drivers are required to receive training and pass a test in order to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL). The vehicles that they drive must be inspected on a daily basis and properly maintained to ensure that they are safe for use on public roads. Drivers are limited by the number of hours that they can drive a tractor-trailer rig during any 24-hour period.Just how common are wrecks in which a large commercial truck or tractor-trailer rig is involved? Consider the following nationwide statistics for 2009:
11,000,000: Large commercial trucks/tractor-trailer rigs on the highway
286,000: Wrecks involving large commercial trucks/tractor-trailer rigs
51,000: Wrecks in which someone was injured
74,000: People who were injured in those wrecks
2,987: Wrecks in which someone died
3,380: People who died in those wrecks
(Source: United States Department of Transportation).
Had proper precautions been taken and rules of the road followed, most, if not all, of these wrecks (and resulting injuries and deaths) could have been avoided.
Some of the more common reasons for wrecks involving large commercial trucks/tractor-trailer rigs are:
- Inexperienced or improperly trained drivers
- Driver fatigue or driving for too long without sufficient rest
- Drivers operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Driving at an excessive rate of speed
- Failing to stop or downshift at an intersection
- Improperly maintained brakes, tires, lights, or other safety equipment
- Incorrectly loaded (top heavy or shifting cargo) or overloaded trailers
A collision with a tractor-trailer is significantly different than a wreck involving two passenger automobiles. Most trucking companies utilize on-board computers that store critical information, to include the exact location of a large commercial truck/tractor-trailer rig at a particular point in time and the speed at which it was traveling. This data, along with the driver’s log books, the vehicle’s maintenance records, and the driver’s personnel file, must be preserved, retrieved, and analyzed in a timely manner. The failure to secure this evidence can adversely affect any potential claim that you might maintain against the trucking company and the driver of the large commercial truck/tractor-trailer rig.
Due to the significant differences in size and weight, the force of impact from a wreck between a large commercial truck/tractor-trailer rig and an automobile often results in the driver and passengers in the automobile being seriously injured or even killed. Consider the following comparisons:
80,000 lbs.: Average weight of tractor-trailer rig
3,500 lbs.: Average weight of passenger automobile
73.0 feet: Average length of tractor-trailer rig
13.5 feet: Average length of passenger automobile
The physical and financial consequences of a collision with a tractor-trailer rig can be life-altering. Only with the assistance of an attorney who has significant experience handling such cases and the resources to hold trucking companies accountable for their actions, do you and your loved ones stand a chance of being fully compensated for your losses. This must be coupled with the input of experts who are familiar with the various aspects of commercial trucking and have the ability to interpret key data.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a wreck with a tractor-trailer rig or other large commercial truck, contact The Ryder Law Firm. We will commit our considerable experience, financial resources, and time to maximize the recovery available to help you and your family.
[ top ]
