Posted by rozeklawoffice on April 27, 2010 under Truck Accidents | 
Because of their sheer size and resulting force, large commercial trucks involved in accidents frequently result in fatality. Although commercial trucks only make up approximately 3% of all motor vehicle registrations, they make up 12% of all traffic fatalities nationwide every year. Distracted driving and fatigue are the two leading causes of truck accidents.
According to the US Department of Transportation, there are 3 types of distracted driving as follows:
1. Visual: Taking eyes off the road
2. Manual: Taking hands of the wheel
3. Cognitive: Taking mind off of activity
The main reason that cell phone texting by truck drivers is so alarming is that it combines all 3 types of distractions. A Research from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration demonstrates that drivers who text while driving take their eyes off the road almost 5 seconds out of every 6 an average. At 55 miles per hour, this means that the driver will travel the length of a football field (including the end zones), without looking at the road. Research shows that truck drivers are 20 times more likely to be involved in an accident if they are texting.
In 2009, the National Transportation Safety Board included a ban on commercial truck driver texting on their most wanted list of transportation safety improvements. They specifically requested that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration prohibit cell phone use by commercial truck and bus drivers.
On March 31, 2010, The Department of Transportation announced its proposal to make its interim ban on texting while driving permanent for commercial truck drivers and bus drivers across the U.S. The ban applies to drivers of interstate commercial trucks and buses over 10,000 pounds and was first put into effect on an interim basis in January, 2010. If a truck driver is caught texting while driving, he will now face up to $2,750 in fines.
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If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident involving a commercial truck or bus, please contact an experienced Truck Accident Attorney who can help you investigate and prove the cause of the accident and your injuries.
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Posted by rozeklawoffice on February 7, 2010 under Truck Accidents |
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, on average, people need about 8 hours of sleep per night. Sleep deprivation, over time, can make a person susceptible to fatigue. Being awake when one is typically asleep or being awake during the early morning hours when the body is use to sleeping, can also lead to drowsiness and fatigue.
The single leading cause of truck accidents is Truck Driver Fatigue. Most truck accidents occur in the early a.m., a time at which the body is predisposed to sleep. Fatigued truckers are tired, sleep deprived and unable to focus and concentrate. Studies have also shown that the risk of fatigue causing truck accidents is directly proportional to the number of hours a truck driver is on the road. And truck driver fatigue may be a factor is 30-40% of semi-truck accidents, making it the leading cause of truck accidents. Many feel the 30-40% estimate is quite low because it is based upon driver’s self-reporting fatigue.
Federal regulations require drivers to maintain a record of their status either by using an approved log grid or an automatic on-board recording device. However,driver logs do not provide an efficient and reliable means of tracking the number of hours a commercial driver drives and many truck companies are not aggressive enough in forcing strict compliance with these hours of service limits. For example, the logs may show the driver getting from point A to point B in a certain amount of time, however, when looking closer at the number of miles driven, it is apparent that the truck could not have traveled the documented distance in the amount of time listed in the log. In this example, there are three possible explanations: 1. the trucker was speeding; 2. the trucker was driving too many hours and intentionally falsified his or her log books; or 3. the trucker kept inaccurate log books. In all incidences, the trucker, the trucking company, and their insurance company would likely be held negligent as a matter of law for this conduct.
Fortunately, there are new technology advances that can help alert a truck driver when he/she may be falling asleep. For example, Lane Departure Warning Systems (LDWS) monitor the location of the vehicle within the lane and alert the driver when the vehicle drifts from the lane. Research results have shown that LDWSs decrease lane departures, and system users have reported that LDWSs help them to maintain their vehicles’ lane positions. Other systems that monitor the vehicle, such as steering position monitors, as well as systems that monitor driver behavior, such as one system that measures the driver’s eyelid closure, have also been developed to detect fatigue. These on-board devices can signal the drivers that their alertness was diminishing, both helping to increase their alertness in the short term and prompting them to seek opportunities to rest safely. Unfortunately, these devices are not yet mandated to replace the manual driving logs.
Whenever a semi-truck causes a crash there is a reason. Although commonly called an “accident”, the crash is not accidental. Usually a thorough investigation will lead to the conclusion that the crash was due to fatigue, driving too many hours, cell phone use, the use of drugs and alcohol, and inattentive driving. An investigation by an experienced investigator and trucking lawyer will expose the trucking company and/or driver’s faults. An experienced trucking attorney can review critical evidence in trucking cases such as log books, toll receipts, and credit card trip receipts and essentially recreate the trip of the negligent driver. There are specific rules requiring trucking companies to keep this documentation for a limited period of time. It is essential in trucking accident cases for the victim or their attorney to immediately notify the trucking company that they must not destroy this documentation. If the trucking company is properly notified and they do destroy the evidence, then the company can face severe sanctions.
If you or a family member have been injured as a result of a truck accident, be sure to Contact an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer for you or your family member’s case.
Posted by rozeklawoffice on February 3, 2010 under General, Truck Accidents |
In today’s market, people have been come very attached to consumer goods, from groceries to HD TVs. America has become known as the consumer society. As technology grows, more and more products are being ordered over the internet. One thing, however, has remained the same; products are shipped by truck on highways and local roads, delivered to their destination at local stores and people’s front doors.
Trucking has not escaped the woes of a bad economy. Truck companies have had to lay off truckers, increasing the hours of driving for the remaining staff members. Truck companies are placing extreme demands on employed drivers requiring them to drive longer consecutive hours to deliver products on time. More truck drivers are fatigues due to driving longer hours, taking stimulants to stay awake, and speeding to make up time that was spent resting. These measures make driving on our Wisconsin highways dangerous.
Studies have proven that the single leading cause of Wisconsin Truck Accidents is truck driver fatigue. And due to their enormous size, trucks pose a much larger risk to passenger vehicles. A collision with a truck can result in personal injury that is much more debilitating than a similar collision with a smaller vehicle.
Collisions caused by truck drivers are all too common in the United States. Recent statistics indicate that nearly 5,000 people are killed and nearly 100,000 are seriously injured each year as a result of accidents involving large trucks.
Wisconsin has enacted laws and safety regulations requiring trucking companies and their drivers to take certain precautions in an attempt to make the roadways more safe. Yet, many Wisconsin intrastate trucking companies do not even realize they are required to comply with some of the federal rules.
There are nearly 20,000 intrastate Wisconsin trucking companies registered with the Department of Transportation. If you are looking for information on a Wisconsin trucking company click the first letter of the trucking company name to find the full legal name, U.S. DOT number, city headquarters and the number of trucks the company owns.
If you have been injured in Wisconsin by a large truck, contact an experience Wisconsin Truck Accident Attorney to assist you with your claim.
