Fatal truck crashes on the rise despite federal safety regulations
The economy in Jacksonville and the state of Florida benefits from commercial truck travel. These trucks transport many of the goods that we regularly rely on. They can also pose a danger to others on the road when not operated with care.
Federal and state agencies conduct roughly 3.5 million roadside inspections of large commercial trucks each year and have recently enhanced inspections and cracked down on repeat offenders.
Even so, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in 2017 approximately 4,889 people lost their lives across the United States due to truck or bus crashes. That's a nine percent increase from 2016.
Truck crashes that could have been prevented
In April, a fiery crash in Colorado made national headlines after killing multiple people. The crash occurred when the driver's truck was traveling downhill at a high speed. The brakes suddenly gave out, making it impossible for the truck to stop, according to the driver.
The driver said that he attempted to avoid a crash by swerving into the breakdown lane. Discovering another truck parked there, the driver swerved back into traffic before crashing into several vehicles. The trucking company had several federal safety violations prior to the crash.
In the case of the Colorado crash, the blame could primarily be placed on the Houston trucking company for failure to comply with federal safety standards and for placing a defective commercial vehicle on the road.
Sometimes the blame can be placed on both the driver and trucking company. Another devastating truck crash - that took the lives of seven motorcyclists in New Hampshire - recently made national headlines. The driver, 23, of Massachusetts, was reportedly intoxicated and texting at the time of the crash.
The driver reportedly had multiple DUIs, was involved in a rollover crash in Texas just weeks before the incident, and was previously on probation.
In addition, the company, Westfield Transport, had been cited for several violations within the last two years. What's worse, drivers for the company have been found in possession of narcotics and driving without a commercial license.
Holding negligent parties accountable
Truck crashes like the ones that make national headlines are preventable. They don't just occur by accident. They are almost always caused by negligence on the part of the driver or trucking company.
If you or a loved one was injured in a truck crash, don't hesitate to take action. The attorneys at Pajcic & Pajcic have a proven track record of holding negligent truck drivers and their companies accountable. Our case results prove it - such as one case that resulted in a $13 million verdict after a teenager sustained a severe brain jury due to a crash with a logging truck.
To learn how we can help you, contact us online today.