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Truck Accidents
For the past five years, the number of large truck accident fatalities has been steadily increasing, according to the US Department of Transportation. Driver error is one of the main reasons, due to the new 11-hour "HOS" -- hours of service – rule for truckers.
In January 2004, the Federal Motor Carrier Administration raised the maximum driving limit for truckers from 10 to 11 consecutive hours a day. An 18-wheeler passing you on the road as you leave work may have a driver who has driven non-stop since before daybreak.
How does this impact his driving ability? According to a recent Penn State study*, crash risk remains the same for the first six hours a trucker is driving. Then, it begins rapidly increasing until the risk reaches very high levels during the 11th hour.
That 11th hour risk factor is more than three times as great as the trucker's first hour of driving. Tired drivers have accidents. Other causes of truck crashes involve uncontrollable load weight, inadequate maintenance, traffic hazards, and weather (rain, snow, etc.).
Most commercial trucks on the road weigh more than 80,000 pounds; most cars weigh 3000 pounds. Understandably, truck-car accidents usually result in death for at least one of the individuals involved.
When a tragic truck accident happens, it is very important to gather the evidence quickly. There may be several very different entities who share responsibility for the victim's injuries: the trucker, the truck’s owner, the cargo’s owner, the manufacturer of the truck, the store awaiting delivery -- even governmental agencies may be partially to blame.
Meanwhile, representatives for the trucking company may well appear on the scene faster than the police. Truckers are instructed to contact the company immediately upon having any type of accident on the road.
Local insurance company adjusters are one phone call away from the crash site, where they can immediately begin the defense of the trucker and his employer, as well as every other defendant involved.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident with a commercial truck, then you may be entitled to recover large cash damages for wrongful death, physical disfigurement, pain and suffering, lost income, and lost earning capacity. It is important that you pursue your claims with the help of experienced legal counsel.
Here at HKPD, we have extensive experience dealing with truck accident claims, as well as insurance company representatives. Please feel free to contact us for an initial consultation at no charge to you. We’re here to help 24/7.
For more information:
The Large Truck Crash Causation Study
http://ai.volpe.dot.gov/ltccs/default.asp?page=about
American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials - AASHTO
http://www.transportation1.org/aashtonew/
CRASH Network
www.trucksafety.org
Factual support:
*"On the Relationship of Crash Risk and Drivers' Hours of Service," presented at the 2005 International Truck and Bus Safety Security Symposium, Alexandria, VA, by Dr. Paul Jovanis, Penn State University Professor, Civil Engineering.