The chance of a fatal collision increases significantly when a driver removes their eyes from the road.
With over 400,000 trucks involved in motor vehicle accidents each year, the federal government has taken on the responsibility of monitoring the industry themselves and looking for ways to help keep the number of accidents down. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration was set up specifically to perform that task and has developed its own set of laws to help ensure that motor vehicles are kept safe when sharing the highway with large commercial vehicles. Their most recent area of concern is the number of accidents attributed to inattentive driving. If you have recently been injured in a trucking accident, contact a Missouri truck accident attorney at the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann to look over your case. We are up to date on all of the guidelines monitoring the trucking industry and can help you establish a claim for compensation.
Rear End Collisions
Rear end collisions where the truck is the striking vehicle are very common truck accidents. Many trucks are 40 times heavier than a typical passenger vehicle. With their limited maneuverability and amount of space required to come to a complete stop, it is difficult for them to avoid a collision if traffic suddenly stops in front of them.
This is not to say that they are not at fault for this type accident. Drivers of large trucks should always be following traffic at a safe distance behind the vehicle in front of them, taking into consideration how much space is required to stop just like other motorists do. The average driver of a passenger vehicle usually only needs to follow the three second rule, where they stay that far behind their lead vehicle. For the driver of a semi-truck, that number is extended into minutes.
Inattentive Driving
In rear end collisions it is often found that inattentive driving on the truck drivers part is the root cause of the problem. With the number of electronic gadgets to entertain him, many truck drivers take their eyes off of the road for longer than they should. Sending and receiving text messages while behind the wheel has been found to cause so many accidents in recent years that it is now said to have surpassed drunk driving as the leading cause of vehicular fatalities. This epidemic affects the trucking industry as well, as more and more truck drivers use technology to stay in touch with their family.
In stopped traffic on a Missouri highway, a woman suffered severe back injury when her vehicle was struck from behind by a tractor trailer. Mediation led to a $890,000 settlement for the plaintiff once it was realized that inattentive driving was the reason for the accident. Had the truck driver had his eyes focused in front of him, he would have noticed the stopped traffic flow and been able to avoid the collision.
St. Louis Truck Accident Attorney
With the added rules to the trucking industry by the FMSCA, they are now held to a higher standard of driving than other motorists. If you were hurt in an accident with a large truck, speak with a Missouri truck accident attorney to help decide if you have a rightful claim to compensation. Call our law office at (314) 361-4300 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation.
photo credit: THE Holy Hand Grenade!