Articles Posted in Tractor-Trailer Accidents

The southbound lanes of Interstate 71 near mile-marker 16 at the Hamilton-Bradley county line finally reopened after being closed most of Thursday morning because of a fatal trucking accident in Tennessee.

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, a pickup truck ran head-on into a tractor-trailer around 4:00 am. The driver of the pickup truck was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene while the driver of the big rig suffered no injuries, according to NBC 3.

Our Knoxville trucking accident attorneys understand that this accident contributed to the sixth traffic-accident fatality in Bradley County in the last five weeks. County officials continue to investigate all of the accidents. Most of the people who were killed in the recent accidents were under the age of 30. The Bradley County Sheriff’s Office, Bradley County Fire Rescue and Bradley County Emergency Medical Service all assisted with the most recent accident.

It’s no surprise that accidents with semis oftentimes produce fatal results. Their large size and tremendous weight overpowers every vehicle on our roadways. Along with their size come large blind spots. It is in these large blind spots that many motorists get lost and forgotten. When a tractor-trailer driver is unable to see a passenger vehicle, the result is oftentimes catastrophic.

Another common problem that leads to fatal accidents that involve semis and tractor-trailers is when they attempt to negotiate a right-hand turn. When a truck does this, the driver of the big rig is required to swing the truck far to the left just in order to make the right-hand turn. This wide swing can leave a smaller vehicle in a tight squeeze between the truck and a curb.

Semis and tractor-trailers also need a greater stopping distance than smaller passenger-vehicles. It is not uncommon for a large truck to rear-end a passenger vehicle simply because of a lack of stopping distance. All of these scenarios can quickly turn deadly.

According to 2007 national truck accident records:

-More than 4,584 trucks involved in fatal accidents.

-More than 4,800 deaths resulted from accidents that involved a semi.

-Nearly 140,000 commercial trucks were involved in non-fatal accidents.

-Nearly 57,000 semis were involved in injury collisions.

-More than 3,900 injuries resulted in accidents involving commercial trucks.

-Approximately 83,100 trucks were involved in tow away accidents.

-There were nearly 2,250 large trucks involved in Hazmat placard accidents.

“We want the drivers of big rigs and buses and those who share the roads with them to be safe,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Motorists who are involved in traffic accidents with tractor-trailers and are severely injured can unfortunately expect to look forward to overwhelming medical bills, lost time from work, pain and suffering. Contacting an experienced lawyer can help you to determine fault in the accident and help you take on the driver and quite possibly the trucking company to get you the compensation you deserve.
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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) might be taking jurisdiction over shippers, receivers and brokers who ‘unduly detain’ drivers if the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) gets its way. Recently, FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro received a letter from David Parker, chairman of the MCSAC, that said that the agency should seek legal authority to be able to take action against and reprimand entities other than motor carriers or drivers that cause or contribute to FMCSA safety violations.

This includes regulating the amount of time that a driver can be detained during the loading and unloading of trailers.

Parker also said in his letter that while the FMCSA has authority over drivers and carriers, they need to have more authority over shippers who play an important role in highway safety and significantly contribute to drowsy drivers. He recommends that the FMCSA looks into putting a cap on the amount of time that a shipper can detain a driver in an attempt to reduce the risks trucking accidents in Tennessee and elsewhere throughout the state.

Our Tennessee trucking accident attorneys would also like to point a specific section of that letter than mentions HR 756, a bill sponsored by Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., which would essentially cut down on the number of hours a shipper can detain a driver. Previously, trucking rules pertained to the number of hours a driver could spend behind the wheel. Now concerns are spreading around to all contributors to fatigued driving, especially detained drivers.

The bill is currently in the House subcommittee on Highways and Transit, according to Truckinginfo.com.

The issue was brought to light after a study, conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), concluded that 65 percent of the 300 surveyed drivers reported detention in a one-month period. Of those that reported detention, approximately 80 percent said that they had difficulty complying with hours of service.

According to FMCSA, undue detention costs the industry approximately $3 billion each year. The MCSAC recommend that the FMCSA conduct some of their own studies into the dangerous issue to supplement the GAO research.

Parker also suggested that FMCSA create a complaint line drivers can use when they’re being unduly detained. This way they could seek action against detaining parties that place drivers in violation of HOS rules. He also recommends that they develop a ‘Truck Driver’s Bill of Rights.’ He says that the bill of rights should include detention compensation for drivers, like roadside amenities and access to showers and food.

Todd Spencer, executive vice president of the Owner-Operator Independent Driver’s Association says that driver detention is the number one productivity and efficiency problem in trucking. The Association says that drivers continue to spend far too many hours each week on loading docks and something needs to be done.
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Federal authorities have begun a compliance review of the Tennessee trucking company that employed a trucker blamed in a fiery crash that claimed three lives, the News & Observer reported. The driver faces charges of driving while impaired and felony death by vehicle. The Greeneville trucking company that employed him has 10 tractor-trailers and employs 10 drivers.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has announced that more unsafe bus and trucking companies have been placed out of service in the last 24 months than in the previous 10 years combined.

Knoxville trucking accident attorneys understand the risk posed by unsafe trucks and buses. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 380,000 accidents involving large trucks claimed more than 4,000 lives in 2008 and injured 90,000 motorists. Tennessee trucking accidents claimed 92 lives that year.

The government is patting itself on the back for enforcement efforts but the truth of the matter is that the feds have been slow to require basic safety improvements, such as on-board data recorders and speed limiters, and even expanded the hours a trucker is permitted to remain behind the wheel. The issue is among the most critical facing motorists because about three-quarters of accident victims in accidents with large trucks are occupants of the other vehicle or non-occupants, such as bicyclists or pedestrians.

“From Day One, I have pledged to put public safety above all else, and we will continue to take action when we see carriers placing passengers at risk,” said U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We have seen the tragic consequences of unsafe practices – whether it’s ignoring fatigue regulations, providing inadequate driver training, or failing to conduct the proper maintenance of a bus or motorcoach. We continue using all of the tools at our disposal to get unsafe carriers off the road and hope that Congress will act on our proposal to provide us with the necessary authority to expand our safety oversight.”

The eight out-of-service orders issued in the past four months includes one to a Tennessee based truck driver. Others went to bus companies in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Mississippi and North Carolina.

“I’m proud of FMCSA’s efforts to crack down and take action on unsafe interstate bus and trucking companies,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. “Our safety investigators, inspectors and state partners will continue demanding that motor carriers and their drivers adhere to safety requirements. While most of the industry operates safely, I also look forward to working with Congress to add new tools to prevent unsafe companies and drivers from operating.”

Under the Obama Administration, roadside inspections of bus companies have nearly doubled, from 12,991 in 2005 to 25,703 last year. In May, the administration conducted 3,000 surprise inspections and took 442 unsafe buses and drivers off the road. That blitz came in the wake of a New York City bus accident that claimed 14 lives.

The Department of Transportation is also asking Congress to increase the penalty for illegal operation from $2,000 a day to $25,000 per violation.
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A Tennessee trucking accident left a tractor-trailer on its side on Highway 25-E just south of Springdale BP, according to the Claiborne Progress. The accident happened when the load shifted as the truck was heading around a curve and caused it to topple over on its side. The accident took out about 200 feet of guardrail and left debris scattered across the road.

The Springdale Volunteer Fire Department, Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee Highway Patrol and Claiborne County EMS responded to the trucking accident. Authorities remained on scene for several hours. The tractor-trailer had to be towed off scene and debris cleared from the roadways. The driver only received minor injuries.

Our Tennessee trucking accident attorneys understand that the number of traffic accidents typically increases through the summer months. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured in this accident, but as travel on our roadway drastically increases, so will the number of serious trucking accidents. A motorist’s most dangerous time to be traveling on our roadway may be when they’re driving alongside large trucks. It doesn’t matter if you’re driving a car, truck, SUV, RV, riding your bike or walking, you are more likely to suffer severe injury if you are involved in a traffic accident with a tractor-trailer in Tennessee. During these types of accidents, occupants of a passenger vehicle sustain nearly 80 percent of fatalities.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is all about keeping you safe this summer! Through their Share the Road Safely program, the Administration aims to increase the knowledge of drivers to help reduce their risks of being involved in a car or trucking accident in Tennessee.

Sharing the road with these large vehicles can be dangerous. Here are a few tips to help you to drive safer:

-Don’t cut them off. Trucks and buses typically take much longer to stop in comparison to cars. If you do pass a large truck, look for the front of the truck in your rear-view mirror before you pull in front of the truck.

-Always wear your seat belt. Seat belts have been proven to protect vehicle occupants in the event of an accident, especially in accidents with large trucks. A seat belt will keep you from hitting the steering wheel or windshield, being thrown around and from being ejected from the car upon impact.

-Stay out of blind spots! Large trucks have large blind spots. These are zones that surround the vehicle in which the driver cannot see you, or your vehicle. If you can’t see the driver in the truck’s mirror, the truck driver can’t see you.

-Keep your eyes, and your mind, on the road. Refrain from engaging in distracting driving habits. A split second can mean the difference between a safe car trip and a deadly accident.

-Don’t squeeze in. Be careful of trucks making they’re right turns. Trucks needs to take wider turns than passenger vehicles. If you try to get in between the truck and the curb when they’re making a turn, you’ll be caught in a “squeeze” and can suffer a serious accident.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one in nine traffic accident deaths involved a truck in 2008. During that year, 380,000 trucks were involved in traffic accidents on our roadways. These accidents resulted in nearly 4,500 deaths and 90,000 injuries.
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Two people were killed in a trucking accident on Interstate 55 last week. One of those killed was a state transportation worker. The Tennessee trucking accident occurred just before r Mississippi River bridge, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The state transportation employee was a HELP truck driver. The accident happened when the driver was helping a stalled vehicle. As the vehicles were stopped, a tractor trailer hit the disabled vehicle and then struck the Tennessee Department of Transportation truck. In addition to the death of the state employee, the driver of the tractor trailer died.

Our Tennessee trucking accident attorneys would like to urge all motorists to travel safely, especially during the upcoming Fourth of July weekend. You may think that truck drivers are well rested and traveling responsibly this weekend, but the truth is they’re traveling under even more dangerous conditions than normal — many pushing to make it home to their families or pushing to make up for lost time. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently made exemptions to the number of the driving hours for 3,000 commercial truck drivers who are hauling FIREWORKS! They’re now allowed to be behind the wheel of their commercials trucks for an even longer amount of time.

“FMCSA announces its decision to grant the application for exemption from the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) on behalf of 9 member motor carriers seeking relief from FMCSA’s hours-of-service (HOS) regulation that prohibits driving of commercial motor vehicles (CMV) after the 14th hour after the driver comes on duty,” reads the commercial driver exemption.

This is only a temporary exemption, but takes place during some of the most dangerous days on our roadways. This exemption will allow commercial drivers of firework cargo to exceed the driving hour limit from June 28, 2011 through July 8, 2011. It will also be effective next year from June 28, 2012 to July 8, 2012.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were nearly 380,000 large trucks involved in traffic accidents in the United States in 2008. A large truck is classified as a vehicle having a gross weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds. Of the 380,000 trucks, nearly 5,000 of them were involved in fatal traffic accidents. Deadly trucking accidents contributed to more than 10 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2008. There were another 90,000 people injured in these accidents. During 2008, there were nearly 100 trucks involved in fatal accidents in our state.

Motoristshave no choice but to share the road with these dangerous and deadly big rigs. Here are some safety tips for passenger-vehicle motorists to help preserve your safety on our roadways.

-Be cautious of wind gusts from trucks.

-Keep both hands on the wheel when you pass a truck or a truck passes you.

-Be sure not to tailgate trucks. This is especially important on hills because when they let off the brake, the truck may roll backwards.

-Beware of their blind spots. If you can’t see the driver, the driver can’t see you.

-Don’t speed up when a truck is passing you. Instead, you should stay to the right and slow down a little bit. Let the truck pass you.

-If a truck driver is signaling to change lanes, give them enough space to do so. An average truck changing lanes, at highway speeds, needs an eight second gap or roughly 700 feet to do so.
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A group of teens recently joined together to raise awareness about trucking accidents in Tennessee and elsewhere throughout the United States.

Teens from around our nation’s capital teamed to make summer traveling safer by vowing to be extra cautious near large trucks. They vowed to allow them plenty of room and to avoid driving in their spots. The teens even signed a “No Texting Promise.” This truck safety demonstration event was organized by national safety officials and families of distracted driving crash victims, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation‘s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the National Organizations for Youth Safety and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance also spoke to students about the importance of safe driving around these big trucks. Accidents involving these trucks are often deadly.

Our Knoxville truck accident attorneys know this all too well. These vehicles operate much differently than our passenger vehicles and motorists need to familiarize themselves with these differences. It is important to work around these vehicles and to accommodate their needs to preserve the safety of all motorists.

“We want everyone to be safe, but as newer drivers, teens must adhere to a few simple rules,” said Anne Ferro, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. “They are: buckle up, don’t drink and drive; don’t speed, don’t text or use your phone, and steer clear of a truck’s blind spots.”

Drivers 16 to 24 years old have the highest traffic accident death rate in the United States. From 2005 to 2009, almost 4,000 people from that age group were killed in traffic accidents involving large trucks.

The event was held this month because, according to the most recent data from U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the deadliest days for teens on our roads are from May through August. During these months, teens 15 to 19 see about two times more deaths on roadways than any of time during the year. During this time, there’s an average of 16 deaths per day on our roadways. This is compared to an average of roughly nine deaths per day the entire year.

“Prom, graduation, and summer are fantastic times for youth to celebrate and enjoy. However, with these fun times come unfortunate tragedies,” said Sandy Spavone, president of the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS). “Through education, enforcement, and legislation lives can be saved and injuries prevented.”

A fully loaded tractor-trailer needs about twice the distance to stop than a passenger vehicle does. These tractor-trailers also have extremely large blind spots that motorists should avoid.

“Do not expect that having a driver’s license is a right that comes without responsibility or risk,” said Steve Keppler, executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. “Be accountable for your actions, spread the word to your friends and parents, and help create a culture of safety. Most importantly, take the driving task seriously. You never know the impact you can have that ultimately could save your life or someone else’s.”
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