Large Truck Accidents – Hidden And Unknown Dangers Of Large Trucking Accidents
A large truck is any vehicle with a weight over 10,000 pounds. Every year in the United States, thousands of motorists and truck drivers are killed and seriously injured by the negligent and often unlawful operation of large trucks. Large trucks represent approximately 3% of all registered vehicles that are being driven in the U.S., yet they contribute to over 25% of the fatalities due to multiple vehicle auto accidents. The Pennsylvania truck accident lawyers at the Philadelphia law firm of Reiff and Bily have been researching and handling automobile and truck accident cases since 1979.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (Penn DOT) reports that in 2005, heavy trucks were involved in 11.6% (or 173) fatal crashes out of a total of 7,321 truck crashes. Heavy trucks were more likely to hit passenger cars over any other type of vehicle with majority of crashes occurring on the highway.
There are numerous causes of big truck accidents. Often the hours of service or the amount of time a driver spends operating the truck can lead to fatigue or drowsiness. The driver may also be intoxicated or under the influence of medication which could create a driver error situation. Driver errors include under rides (when a passenger car slides under a truck), no-zones or blind spots, squeeze plays (wide turns), off track or going into another lane of traffic such as jackknifing (usually caused by driving too fast or to avoid something in the road), roll-overs, or speeding. Other factors that lead to accidents are substandard inspections, larger combination vehicles or LCV (2+ trailers attached), and Hazmat or hazardous material trucks that can explode due to improper issues with cargo.
Recently reported was a very serious and often unknown issue about the health of truck drivers with valid commercial licenses. A major cause of truck accidents is caused by truck drivers who are ill or have medical conditions and do not have the proper medical licenses or health clearance to operate their vehicles. The Transportation Department said 5,300 people died in crashes involving large commercial trucks in 2006. A federal safety study in 2007 found that the leading causes of serious crashes involving large trucks were from drivers who: (1) fell asleep or blacked-out while driving due to fatigue or either a known or unknown medical disorder; (2) suffered a heart attack or seizure; or (3) were physically impaired due to a previous injury or medical condition.
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) study revealed that 563,000 commercial drivers were determined to be eligible for full disability benefits because of health issues. Full disability does not necessarily mean a driver is unfit to operate a commercial vehicle, but investigators identified more than 1,000 drivers with vision, hearing or seizure disorders, which generally would prohibit a trucker from obtaining a valid commercial license. These drivers are still on the road today and pose a huge risk of causing a fatal truck accident.
Often employers of truck drivers fail to perform background checks which would easily reveal a “checkered” past of drug or alcohol usage which may indicate that the individual was unfit for the responsibilities of their driving position.
To help reduce the chance of an accident, try to stay out of a truck’s blind spot. A good indication to know you are visible to the truck driver is being able to see the driver from the truck’s side mirrors. Always maintain a safe distance from the rear of the truck and drive carefully during poor weather conditions. If you are ever in an accident, make sure everyone is ok and exchange information. Call 9-1-1 or the police to report the accident and never leave the scene of the accident. Double check your insurance coverage and report the accident to the insurance company.
There are three important factors to automobile accidents: (1) establishing liability; (2) establishing damages; and (3) determining where to collect the damages. Philadelphia personal injury and trucking liability lawyer Jeffrey Reiff and the experienced Pennsylvania auto accident lawyers at Reiff and Bily will examine the facts, evaluate your claim, determine which parties and insurance companies are responsible, and organize all of the details of preparing and presenting your truck accident case.
The Pennsylvania truck accident and personal injury lawyers at Reiff and Bily work on a contingent fee basis, charging a small percentage of the recovery. They will not get paid one cent unless there is a successful recovery. They have handled numerous automobile and truck accidents, successfully recovering in excess of $150 million dollars from their opponents for physical injuries and emotional damages.
If you are in need of an attorney because you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury as a result of a truck accident, please call the experienced Pennsylvania vehicle accident attorneys at the law firm of Reiff and Bily.
