Large Trucking Companies Only Have Their Driver’s Best Interests At Heart

Semi truck accidents are among the most disastrous motor vehicle accidents. Injuries from semi-trucks are often very serious because of the size and weight of the truck. Truck accidents can result in catastrophic injury, permanent disability or even death, causing a ripple effect of pain and suffering.

Drivers of large trucks and other vehicles involved in truck crashes are ten times more likely to be the cause of the crash than other factors, such as weather, road conditions and vehicle performance. The most commonly associated factors were driver related, such as illegal drug/alcohol use, traveling too fast for conditions, unfamiliarity with the roadway, inadequate surveillance, fatigue, improper equipment, and feeling under pressure from their employer as well as others on the road.

Because semi trucks are usually owned by large companies, often a sophisticated team of insurance adjusters or lawyers will quickly begin working on building a case against you —even if the accident was not your fault. Don't talk to these folks.Their interest is in protecting the trucking companies and truck drivers who hire them.

If you or someone you love has been injured or even killed in a Missouri semi truck accident and the accident was not your fault, you have certain rights to recover money for injuries, property damage, missed work, medical bills, pain and suffering and disability. But truck companies or their insurance adjusters or attorneys may try to get you to waive (give up) those rights.

Don’t say another word. Call us today for a competent attorney who understands semi truck laws in Missouri and will fight for you. Time is paramount. Contact us today.

Underride Guard Safety Standards For Tractor Trailers

Research conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has indicated that many manufacturers are fitting large truck trailers with safer, more efficient underride guards, however many manufacturers are still falling short.

An underride guard is intended to prevent a car from sliding under the rear end of a large truck, such as a tractor-trailer rig. While a large truck that is equipped with a functional underride guard can significantly increase the chances of surviving a rear-end crash with that truck or trailer, most guards have been unsuccessful in preventing deadly and catastrophic outcomes, according to crash tests conducted by The Insurance Institute since 2010.

When most vehicles slide under the rear end of a large truck, the top of the car --- hood, windshield and roof -- typically absorb the brunt of the impact. Adequate underride guards must necessarily prevent the intrusion of automobile bumpers under a large truck, in order for seatbelts and airbags to protect auto occupants from catastrophic injuries or death.

Although in 1998 the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration issued a mandate requiring that all trailers, including those pulled by big rigs and semis, that weigh 10,000 pounds or more, be equipped with an underride guard, the US standards fall short of their intended purpose unless passenger compartment intrusion is prevented. Hopefully further study and consideration of successful Canadian standards will result in an upgraded safety standard that will save lives in tractor trailer and big rig crashes.

Contact the St. Louis large truck attorneys of The Glassman Law Firm at 314-446-6000 if you or a loved one has be injured or killed in a collision with a large truck.

  

Big Rig Safety

Semi-trucks, big rigs, tractor-trailers, and 18-wheelers are large trucks that can be roughly 13.5 feet tall, 8.5 feet wide, up to 70 feet long, and can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. Needless to say it takes a great amount of experience and agility to be able to operate a vehicle of this magnitude. However, drivers don't always possess these attributes, this is when trouble arises.

In 2010, which is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's most recent data regarding trucking accidents, 276,000 large trucks were involved in collisions in the United States. Of those accidents, 3,675 people were killed and 80,000 people were injured.
Fatalities have gone up 9 percent from 2009 to 2010. Of the deaths resulting from accidents with large trucks, 76 percent were occupants in passenger cars, 10 percent were pedestrians, motorcyclists, or bicyclists, and 14 percent were occupants in large trucks.

Just this morning a tractor-trailer truck was implicated in a 30-vehicle crash that killed three people on a snowy Iowa highway. We will hear in the days to come, whether the truck driver was in compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations with respect to the speed and weather limitations placed upon drivers of these big rigs.

There is no doubt that if not operated properly a truck can be a deadly weapon. As drivers, we can all be more aware around large trucks. Here are a few tips that will hopefully save your life:

• Give truck drivers room to turn. They sometimes will need room to swing wide to the left to make a right turn. They won't be able to see you if you squeeze in between them and the curb. If they are properly using their blinkers, you should be able to prepare and move out of the way when they make this type of turn.
• Large trucks have even larger blind spots. Refrain from riding on either side of a large truck. A good rule of thumb is if you can't see the truck driver's face in the mirror, then they can't see you. 
• Never jump in front of a large truck too soon after passing. Large trucks need room to stop. In fact, their breaking distance varies greatly depending on the amount of cargo they are carrying. Never leave this distance to chance, give trucks plenty of space. 

Being involved in an accident with a large truck can result in catastrophic injuries that can require months, years, or a lifetime of rehabilitation. This type of accident can leave you in a great deal of pain as well as permanently disabled. You could even lose your life. If you or a loved one has been injured in a trucking accident, contact the Missouri Truck Accident Attorneys of The Glassman Law Firm.

Stay Safe While Sharing The Road With Large Trucks

March 20th kicks off the first day of spring this year. With spring comes blooming flowers and sunny days ahead. Spring also comes with unpredictable weather and slippery conditions on the road. Motorists need to be especially careful around big rigs and semi trucks on our nations highways and roads during this time of year due to these conditions.

Large trucks have the capacity to weigh up to 80,000 pounds depending on their cargo; comparatively, a car can weigh around one or two tons. Mix these vehicles together with icy, slippery conditions and a distracted driver and you have a recipe for disaster. In addition to the road conditions you can have violent thunderstorms, high winds, and in some parts of the country, giant dust storms called Haboobs that bring visibility to near zero.

To protect yourself and the occupants in your car, there are several steps you can exercise while sharing the road with a semi truck:

• Stay out of the truck’s blind spots- Even though every truck is equipped with side mirrors, the driver still has blind spots. If you find yourself driving next to a large truck either pass the truck or fall behind it. While passing, try to stay to the trucks left side where their visibility is greater.
• Never follow a large truck too closely- Keep roughly 20 car lengths in between the front of your vehicle and the back of the truck. A large truck’s stopping distance varies greatly depending on if their carrying cargo or not so it’s best to steer clear incase the truck driver underestimates their stopping distance.
• Use extra caution when passing a truck- When you’re passing a truck, do not go back into your lane until you can see the trucks headlights in your rear view mirror. Leaving this distance is important because if you are in a collision with a truck, the smaller vehicle will be the one that takes the brunt of the damages.
• Never allow a truck to follow your vehicle too closely- Again, the truck driver could underestimate their stopping distance so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Simply move your car into another lane if it’s possible. 

By exercising caution and being diligent of your surroundings, you could avoid a collision with one of these giants and keep enjoying the sight of nature blooming around you.

If you or a family member is unfortunate enough to be involved in a tragic accident with a semi-truck or rig of any kind, our knowledge of the Federal Motor Carrier Regulations enables us to help injured victims and their families obtain substantial settlements from trucking companies each year. Call us for a free case evaluation whenever involved in this type of accident.