Every 16 minutes someone is injured or killed in a commercial-truck related crash. Approximately 500,000 trucking accidents occur every year. Of these trucking accidents, 5,000 involve fatalities. In Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, the number of semi-trucks traveling on interstate highways increases every year, and truck accidents on I-95, I-495, I-64 and I-270 and other highways are rising as a result.

There are and infinite number of reasons why an accident may occur but the sheer size and weight of trucks makes them particularly prone to grave accidents. Many accidents occur due to unnecessary negligence on part of the driver. For example:

  • Drivers often rush to meet strict delivery deadlines. Unrealistic delivery schedules cause drivers to disobey speed limits and other rules of the road.
  • Driving for long periods drivers get tired and become unable to maintain attention and control. Drivers are required to take breaks from driving on the road. Research confirms that 28% of tractor-trailer drivers suffer from sleep apnea. Driving fatigue makes truck drivers literally fall asleep at the wheel. Violation of the required rest requirements is a common accident cause of accidents, and willful violations can support a claim for punitive damages against the truck driver and his company. However, to properly prove that driver fatigue was a causative factor in your accident, you must secure the driver’s trip logs and all supporting documents immediately after the accident.
  • A combination of the above two reasons can lead to a driver that is stressed and tired, unable to pay enough attention to other drivers and the road.
  • It is difficult to see blind spots from a large truck. Truck drivers might not leave enough space for his giant vehicle between other vehicles. Being in such a large vehicle can make it impossible to stay aware of the intricacies of the road and traffic. Truck drivers must be particularly aware of their surroundings and extra qualified to operate and control such an immense vehicle.
  • A larger machine means larger mechanical components. Mechanical failure and defective components are common, especially in rental and overused trucks. This poses a serious threat to everyone on the road.
  • Overloading of the truck occurs when companies try to cut corners and over-ship, creating a dangerous transportation route.

Truck accident cases tend to be more complex and proving negligence can be difficult due to all the intricacies of transportation and commercial law. If you have been involved in a truck accident, you should contact legal assistance immediately, as these types of claims must be filed as close to the accident date as possible. The Barrera Law Firm successfully files truck accident cases frequently, If you are in search of experienced legal counsel in D.C., Virginia, or Maryland, contact us today!

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This entry was posted on Saturday, June 12th, 2010 at 7:20 am and is filed under Blog, Library, Personal Injury. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.