When commercial vehicles get pulled over for annual pre-announced safety inspections, about one in five get taken out of service on the spot because they are in too unsafe a condition to be allowed on the road.ĭespite being commercial drivers, truck drivers are people too, and they are susceptible to all the negligent behaviors other drivers can engage in, including speeding, following too close, disobeying traffic lights, failing to signal, distracted driving, and driving while impaired. Trucking companies fail to maintain their 18-wheelers with good tires, brakes, coupling devices, signal lights and other vital safety equipment. Trucking companies press their drivers to meet unrealistic schedules, causing them to drive too fast or for too long, or to hurry through the process of loading their trailers carefully and securely, which can cause them to lose control of the truck or spill their load down the road. Truck drivers press on and keep driving long after it is safe for them to do so, sometimes using over-the-counter medicines or illegal drugs to stay alert, which can actually have the opposite effect and decrease alertness. Truckers are typically paid by the mile or the trip, and the more miles they drive or the more trips they make, the more they earn. Trucking companies send new drivers on the road before they have had enough training, supervision and experience to handle their big rig safely in uncontrolled conditions. Choosing the appropriate method can mean the difference between stopping safely or losing control, winding up in a jackknife or rollover truck accident. Unlike other motor vehicle drivers, truck drivers have several different ways of braking when they have to make a sudden stop. Careful truck drivers make sure to keep a safe distance, signal their intentions early, and always check their mirrors before turning or changing lanes. The weight of tractor-trailers means they need additional stopping distance and reaction time to avoid a wreck, and their size creates extensive blind spots that extend for several car lengths and multiple lanes in front, behind and on both sides of the semi-truck. Below are some of the main ways truck drivers and their employers wind up causing accidents on the road. Getting hit with that much force even at low speeds can be damaging at highway speeds, the results can be disastrous. Common Issues We Face When Litigating Houston Truck Accident Claimsīig rigs weigh about 20 times more than the average passenger sedan when fully loaded with cargo. You deserve nothing less than the best representation when you’ve been injured by a negligent truck driver or trucking company, and that’s just what we strive to deliver. We put in the time, effort, and expense necessary to build a strong case that proves the trucking company’s liability for the full value of your claim. Our Houston trial law firm can go toe-to-toe with the largest commercial fleets and their insurance carriers. Call our office for a free consultation if you’ve been hurt in a Houston trucking accident caused by any of the following reasons or others: Our skilled Houston truck accident lawyers are ready to take on any kind of trucking accident and get results for accident victims. At Gilde Law Firm, we put in the effort to hold negligent truck drivers and trucking companies accountable for their failures that lead to serious or deadly accidents on Houston streets and freeways. That’s a lot of misery to happen in one year – misery that could be avoided if truck drivers drove with more skill and care and if the trucking companies took better care to manage and maintain their fleets more safely. Of those, 6,416 trucking accidents occurred in Harris County, accounting for 1,669 and 37 fatalities. 2019 saw 39,255 truck crashes in Texas resulting in 8,948 injuries and 616 deaths. Statistics from the Texas Department of Transportation show truck accidents were on the rise for a decade before the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down traffic and commercial activity.
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