Every year, more than 15 million trucks transport goods across the United States. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) is responsible for regulating the trucking industry and estimates that nearly 500,000 traffic crashes each year involve trucks.
Truck wrecks are complex and it is important to work with a leading tractor trailer crash lawyer. In 2018, trucks towing a single semi-trailer were responsible for 55% of the trucks involved in fatal crashes. In the state of Pennsylvania alone, there were 139 deaths. While this number may not sound significant, Pennsylvania is one of the top ten states in the whole of the country for fatal crashes involving trucks. 83% of these crashes take place on Pennsylvania’s highways.
Main causes of tractor trailer crashes
Anyone driving a vehicle is at risk of being involved in a crash. Driver-related factors are often the main cause of fatal truck crashes. These include: speeding; driver-distraction or not paying attention; or impairment (for example, due to fatigue, alcohol, or illness). Other factors may include tire issues, or an unsafe load. There is no doubt that when these trucks are involved in a crash, and can weigh up to 100,000 pounds when fully loaded, people often die.
Trucking regulations requirements
The trucking industry has its own set of regulations. Therefore, tractor trailer crashes are handled differently by the legal system from other vehicle crashes. Trucking companies are required to keep relevant documentation, and often have advanced data collection and communication systems in the tractor units.
Professional truck drivers must be qualified and the companies that employ them have a duty to adequately train their drivers. All of these factors, therefore, add to the complexity of tractor trailer crashes.
Jaime Jackson Law is a leading tractor trailer crash lawyer based in Lancaster, PA. Jaime Jackson has more than 20 years of experience with truck wrecks and stays up-to-date on cutting-edge issues in tractor trailer crash cases.
Are tractor trailer crashes common?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) is responsible for regulating the trucking industry and estimates that nearly 500,000 traffic crashes each year involve heavy trucks.
In 2018, trucks pulling a single semi-trailer were responsible for 55% of the trucks involved in fatal crashes. In the state of Pennsylvania alone, there were 139 fatalities. While this number may not sound significant, Pennsylvania is one of the top ten states in the whole country for fatal crashes involving trucks.
Are tractor trailer crashes legally different from car crashes?
The trucking industry has its own set of regulations. Therefore, tractor trailer crashes are handled differently by the legal system from other vehicle crashes. Trucking companies are required to keep relevant documentation and often have advanced data collection and communication systems in the tractor units.
Professional truck drivers must be qualified and the companies that employ them have a duty to adequately train their drivers. All of these factors, therefore, add to the complexity of tractor trailer crashes.
How do you work out who is at fault in a tractor trailer case?
It is important to work with forensic experts who have experience investigating crash scenes. They preserve evidence that includes the vehicles themselves and also gather police reports and eyewitness testimony. In addition, vehicle data such as speed and braking will be downloaded and analyzed. The truck driver may have been responsible for the crash itself, but there may be underlying factors, such as driver-fatigue. Maybe the driver had been on the road for long hours because of pressure from an employer to meet a delivery time. Or, perhaps the driver was not properly trained. Alternatively, the driver may have been given equipment that was not safe to operate. All of these factors will be investigated. Finally, specific regulations govern the operation of trucking companies and these will be examined when working out who is at fault in a tractor trailer case.
What are common causes of tractor trailer crashes?
Tractor trailer crashes are often the result of truck safety system failures such as: lack of driver qualifications; lack of driver training; or inadequate supervision. In addition, sleep deprivation, or common distractions like cellphones and mobile devices, may also be causes of crashes.