Texas, where I practice law, has more miles of interstate highways than any other state. In 2021 Texas ranked second only to California in the number of trucks registered in the state, with 14.6 million trucks operating on its roads. All this truck traffic comes with a price. According to the National Safety Council, in 2021 Texas led the nation in the number of truck deaths with 806 deaths recorded due to truck accidents. As a dedicated truck accident lawyer in Texas, I understand the unique challenges that come with navigating the state’s extensive interstate highways and high truck traffic. Here are several ways why a truck can be dangerous on the road.
Most truck accidents happen for the same reason as car accidents
The driver fails to follow safe driving procedures. Accidents usually result from following too closely, changing lanes when unsafe, running a red light, or running a stop sign. There are, however, several ways in which truck accidents are caused simply due to the unique characteristics of trucks. Unlike passenger vehicles, trucks are much heavier, they pull long, heavy trailers, their tires are bigger and heavier, and their drivers are on the road for longer periods of time without rest. These features can result in serious bodily injury or death. Let’s look at some of these unique ways in which a truck can cause injuries.
Trucks Are So Much Heavier, Bigger, and Longer Than Passenger Vehicles
Due to their excessive weight and size, collisions involving trucks tend to cause more damage and greater injuries. Moreover, the excessive weight of the tractor, coupled with the length and weight of the trailer it pulls, makes it harder to stop and harder to maneuver out of the way. This typically results in a truck rear-ending another vehicle, or inT-bone collisions while cutting across the path of another vehicle, such as when making a left hand turn across traffic. An inexperienced, tired, or pre-occupied driver will forget to take into account the weight and length of his rig and not allow enough time to clear out of the way of on-coming traffic, or not allow himself time to safely come to a stop.
Failing to Properly Secure the Load
The driver of the truck is responsible for making sure his load is properly secured so no part of it can fly off or become unstable and tip the trailer and truck over. In addition, chains, hooks, tarps, and other equipment used to secure the load must be properly secured to insure they don’t fly off. These types of accidents happen more often that you might think. A 2012 study by the Government Accountability Office found that accidents from unsecured loads caused 440 deaths and 10,000 injuries in 2010. A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that road debris was involved in more than 500 deaths and 39,000 injuries between 2011 and 2014.
Failing to Inspect Tires, Mud Flaps, Ladders, and Other Tools and Equipment
Serious injury or death can result from such equipment falling off the truck. A tire coming loose and striking another vehicle happens far too often. Tools and equipment blowing off at high speeds on the freeway can cause serious injuries and deaths and are just as dangerous as unsecured loads.
Forgetting How Tall the Load Is
All bridges and underpasses are posted with measurements in feet and inches to let traffic know the clearance under them. Sometimes, the truck driver forgets he is carrying a load that is taller than the upcoming clearance, causing the load to strike the obstruction. This can result in heavy pieces of cement falling on top of other vehicles and causing severe injury to their occupants. In can also result in the truck coming to an abrupt stop thereby causing a trailing vehicle to strike the rear of the truck’s trailer.
Fatigued Drivers
Drivers are required by law to limit the number of consecutive hours driving and to rest a minimum number of hours between shifts. For trucks traveling between state, these Hours of Service (HOS) are found in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration rules. They provide that a driver must have 10 hours of off-duty time before beginning a shift, followed by a permissible 14 hours of on-duty time, during which they can drive for 11 hours. Drivers must take 30-minute breaks after 8 hours of driving. Drivers can be on duty for a maximum 70 hours over an 8-day period and then must rest 34 hours before beginning a new cycle. As you can see there are many requirements that must be met and many ways to go astray of these requirements. Fatigued drivers can sometimes become mesmerized with the road to the point that they can plow right into stopped traffic without ever hitting the brakes.
Safety Equipment Out of Compliance
These involve cases of bald tires causing blowouts or tread separation, worn windshield wipers or broken windshields obstructing a driver’s vision, faulty brakes, and defective lights, among other things. As you can imagine, a heavy truck with faulty safety equipment can cause serious accidents on our freeways.
Contact Us Today
At the Law Offices of Robert Rodriguez, we have represented many victims of truck accidents. These are hard-fought cases that require time, knowledge, and experience in order to get our clients fair compensation. We know that recovery will take some time, and the truck accident lawyer in Houston that you choose to help represent you is a large part of your recovery team. Let me be on your team. If you or a family member have been injured, or if a loved one has been killed in a truck accident, please give us a call and let us answer your questions.
Robert Rodriguez
Law Offices of Robert Rodriguez