Semi truck accidents are usually more serious than other vehicle collisions because of the truck’s massive size and due to the fact that trucks are usually travelling at high rates of speed on interstates. We’ve all seen those news reports of a multi-car pile up that occurred when a semi truck wasn’t able to stop in time and plowed into the cars in front of it causing a chain reaction involving 30-40 vehicles or even more. When you add other factors like inclement weather, overworked and tired truckers, and an overloaded truck, the likelihood of a serious accident occurring increases exponentially.
Carrying a lot of cargo makes the truck even heavier, and it becomes even more difficult to control. Truck drivers must also contend with hazardous materials, which, when involved in an accident, will result in much greater damage and loss of life. The truck’s large size and heavy cargo make braking a challenge every time the truck has to stop abruptly, and when high rates of speed and difficult road conditions like inclement weather or construction zones are present, the danger level rises even more.
If you’ve been involved in a truck accident, or if you have lost a loved one in a catastrophic truck accident, please find an experienced truck accident lawyer in your area and schedule a free consultation to discuss the details of your case. A personal injury attorney who has handles complex truck accident cases will be able to advise you of the best course of action following your accident.
Truckers Face Challenges
In addition to driving while exhausted and being stuck in a small cabin for several hours at a time, truckers face the numerous challenges that come with maneuvering such a massive vehicle. The heavy weight of a semi truck makes it much more difficult to turn and stop than a passenger vehicle, and trucks have very long blind spots making it more difficult to know what other vehicles are them. Trying to locate vehicles and other objects in his blind spot takes the truck driver’s eyes off the road and can lead to dangerous situations in which the truck has to swerve to avoid hitting something or has to stop suddenly because of something just ahead of him.
Truck drivers are told how long they’re allowed to drive, and electronic devices record virtually every move truck drivers make while on the road. There’s very little room for error in the trucking business, and many truckers are driving our nation’s roadways feeling a lot of pressure to perform to the standard the trucking industry and their individual employer has set for them. This overwhelming pressure to meet deadlines and follow the letter of the law set forth by government agencies and the trucking industry means that we are sharing the road with some very stressed out drivers. Just think how much texting and driving truckers must see from their higher up vantage point.
If you’ve recently been injured in an accident involving a semi truck, please schedule a consultation with a truck accident attorney in your area today. Truck accidents are almost always very complex cases that involve multiple parties, and only an experienced personal injury attorney with experience in truck crash litigation will know how to proceed with legal action.
