Anyone driving through Austin understands the dangerous conditions created by the many highways and stop-and-start traffic. Add trucks traveling on one of the nation’s heaviest traveled north-south corridor and the potential for truck collisions and serious injuries and fatalities is obvious.
When auto-commercial truck collisions occur in Austin, the consequences for drivers and passengers in the smaller four-wheel vehicles are often catastrophic. The reasons for this reality have to do with a number of factors, including:
• Simple physics. A large truck can easily weigh 40 tons, 30 to 40 times as great as an automobile.
• Large, fully loaded trucks are difficult to maneuver, and a loss of control is common when even small miscalculations by the driver occur.
• Large commercial trucks have limited visibility and numerous blind spots, often making smaller cars invisible.
Most truck drivers are professionals who want to drive safely. However, they are responsible for more than 500,000 accidents a year, with more than 5,000 resulting in fatalities. While mere numbers fail to tell the story of tragic accidents and life-changing injuries, these facts indicate that more than one in every eight traffic fatalities involves truck collisions. Moreover, in more than 98% of the cases, the deaths are in the passenger vehicles.
The Reasons Driving the Numbers
The problems of safety related to trucks are so great that the National Transportation Safety Board has recently updated its rules. For example, driver fatigue is a contributing factor in as many as 30 to 40% of all heavy truck accidents. That is why the allowable hours for driving have been reduced once again.
In addition, the rapid growth in interstate trucking, including the number of trucks moving through Austin daily, has pushed many trucking firms to ignore or fail to follow many basic safety issues related to their drivers and fleets. This high demand results in trucks driving the roads with:
• Loads not properly balanced by inexperienced workers
• Improper or inadequate maintenance procedures
• Excessive loads
• Use of the wrong equipment and trailers
• Drivers asked or expected to drive beyond the regulatory limits and speeds
When Bad Things Happen
People are killed and others severely injured each day due to issues related to the dangers of large trucks and how they are handled.
The main point that we share with anyone who seeks our counsel is that we are concerned that you and your loved ones receive fair compensation for the losses caused by a collision with a truck. We understand exactly how to explore all those factors, whether you are the driver, passenger, or bystander when these accidents happen. It is important to understand that trucking companies keep their lawyers and insurance investigators on call at all times, and their interests are not aligned with yours.
Contact our Firm Today
If you are involved in an accident in Austin that involves a commercial truck, your experience will leave you with many questions. If you are dealing with injuries, medical bills, the loss of your vehicle, and other issues, it can be an intimidating and overwhelming time.
That is where the Doan Law Firm comes in. We will take the time to understand your specific situation and the issues you are facing. We will explain your options, and, once you have chosen us to represent you, we will apply our significant resources with the goal of helping you get the best possible level of compensation for your losses.
Time is of the essence in these cases, and we will respond to your call anytime and anywhere, in Austin or any part of the state of Texas. You can reach us 24/7 for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation by calling (800) 913-0075 . If needed, we will come to your home, business, or even hospital room to provide the representation you want and deserve. Don’t hesitate – call Doan Law Firm today or fill out our online contact form to receive the representation you need.