Category: Truck Accidents

If you are one of the many people in Tennessee or across the country who have been involved in a collision with a tractor trailer, you know first hand how devastating these accidents can be. These massive vehicles can cause serious property damage, physical injuries and emotional trauma. A number of these accidents may be the result of drowsy, distracted, drunk or otherwise negligent truck drivers. As a motorist navigating the busy roadways of Knoxville, it may be helpful for you to understand what the common causes of trucking accidents are. This information could help you avoid becoming involved in a big rig collision.

Truck drivers who fall asleep while behind the wheel due to lack of sleep and too much drive time may be one of the most common contributors to the high rate of tractor trailer accidents, injuries and fatalities across the state. Yet, it is not the only factor that leads to these catastrophic incidents. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the following may also result in an accident:

•          Equipment malfunction, such as brakes, lights, steering, tires and safety devices
•          Freight that is unevenly distributed
•          Speeding trucks
•          Careless driving in bad weather conditions, including ice, rain, snow, wind and fog

Poorly trained truckers can also increase the risk of tractor trailer accidents. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reported that a surprising 171,150 truckers were taken off of the road after they were found driving with too many violations, as reported by NBC News. Furthermore, more than 2.1 million tractor trailers were removed from service for having excessive inspection violations.

While you may not be able to control the driving habits of truckers on the road, you can drive defensively around big rigs to lower your risk of becoming victimized by these large vehicles.

This is general information only and is not intended to provide legal advice.

If you are like most people in Tennessee, you mobile phone has become an integral part of your everyday live, especially if you have a smartphone. You can find the location of a needed business, manage your finances, and stay in contact with others anytime, anywhere. However, when mobile phones are used by people when they are driving, the benefits of this technology turn into dangers.

Distracted driving has received a lot of attention in recent years, largely due to the heavy use of mobile technology. However, this is not the only thing that can distract drivers while operating motor vehicles. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, distractions can be visual, cognitive or manual. A visual distraction is anything that takes your eyes off of the road. A cognitive distraction is anything takes your mind off of your driving. A manual distraction is anything that requires you to take your hands off of your steering wheel or a gear shifter if you have a manual transmission.

Examples of some of these distractions include inserting a CD into a player, tending to a child in your vehicle and even talking to one of your passengers. Across the United States, it is estimated that 1,300 injuries every day are incurred due to distracted drivers. Following the laws about mobile phone use is one way to reduce your distraction while driving but it is equally important to remember that other distractions also exist.

This information is not intended to provide legal advice but general information about what distracted driving is in Tennessee.

Tennessee drivers may be used to sharing the roadways with tractor trailers on a regular basis. However, they may begin to notice an increase in the number of tractor trailers they see on the road. As the American economy continues to grow, more tractor trailers are needed to distribute products across the state and throughout the country. In fact by 2025, the trucking industry could see a 23.5 percent increase in freight amounts, according to the American Trucking Association. While this may be good news for U.S. trucking companies, it could put motorists at an increased risk of being involved in a large truck accident.

The number of people killed in large truck accidents in the U.S. has increased since 2009, as reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. From 3,211 deaths in 2009 to 3,906 fatalities in 2013, motor vehicle accidents involving large trucks continue to take the lives of innocent motorists. Passenger vehicle drivers are usually the ones who are seriously injured in a tractor trailer collision, as their size and weight are considerably larger.

With more tractor trailers needed to distribute freight, some trucking companies are having difficulties keeping up with demand. According to Bloomberg Business, qualified and experienced truckers are getting harder to come by. In order to compensate for the shortage, some companies are scheduling truckers to driver overtime in violation of federal law. In turn, distracted, drowsy, drunk and otherwise reckless truckers are more likely to cause a catastrophic collision that could injure or kill others.

In order to avoid becoming the next victim of a negligent truck driver, motorists should learn how to share the road safely with large trucks.

Many truckers on Tennessee roads drive when they are tired. The problem has attracted national attention, and some efforts have been made to curb this behavior. Because many are paid by the mile instead of being guaranteed an hourly wage, drivers may be tempted to complete a shift, even when sleepiness is a problem. According to ABC News, a driver who followed the federal standard for rest times ended up with a schedule that resulted in a lack of adequate sleep before a long shift on the road.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is the government agency that enforces an hours-of-service regulation. These guidelines require drivers to take rest breaks and limits the number of hours they can be on the road to 11 per day.

Recently, the FMCSA suspended the regulations that made two nights of rest mandatory during a work week, and began conducting a study so it could determine that schedule’s effectiveness. Some truckers continued to follow the original hours of service with one night off and a total of 82 hours on the road each week, while others rested for at least two nights and only drove for 70 hours. Information about the levels of alertness, overall health and hazards such as near crashes and crashes was collected using the following:

•          Onboard cameras
•          Surveys and tests
•          Sleep assessment technology
•          Electronic devices tracking actual time on the road

When the outcome of the study is available, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the FMCSA will re-assess the situation to determine which schedule is better at preventing driver fatigue and truck accidents. 

If you think you are have seen more 18-wheelers appearing on Tennessee roads, you are not mistaken. The Commercial Carrier Journal recently stated that the transporting of freight is expected to increase through 2025. As the majority of goods are delivered by heavy trucks, this means that more of these big rigs are going to be sharing the road with you. However, one company thinks it has found a way to decrease the risk of a semi truck accident with a platooning technology.

ABC News stated that the technology gives heavy trucks the ability to talk to each other and gather information about the road and traffic conditions. The technology than controls the acceleration and braking systems of the trucks to accommodate those conditions. The data is gathered through sensors installed on the trucks and the system then analyzes the information to determine if it is safe for trucks to platoon.

The truck driver remains in full control of the semi and can turn off the platoon system at any time. If the conditions are right, the platoon technology enables the trucks to travel at the same speed and within close proximity of each other. In one recent demonstration on a busy interstate, the trucks remained 40 feet from each other and traveled at regular highway speeds. The trucks have also been tested with distances from 75 feet down to just 20 feet from each other.

The company who developed the platoon technology, Peloton Technology, states that the system will improve safety on American roads. The Nevada Highway Patrol, which oversaw the recent demonstration agrees as well as other experts on highway safety who have seen the technology in action. 

Take a short drive on any of the roads in Knox County, and one is bound to eventually see a semi-truck or tractor-trailer traveling alongside him or her at some point. Given the prevalence of these vehicles on the road, one may assume that there should be a much greater number of truck accidents reported than there actually are. Truck drivers should be credited with keeping accidents numbers low, as these men and women often prove to be very adept at controlling their vehicles. Yet in those instances were driver error or negligence does come into play, the results can be catastrophic.

Such was the case in a recent accident that occurred in Chattanooga. A truck traveling along I-75 struck several vehicles, killing six people in the process. A subsequent investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that the driver had been in violation of his federally-mandated operating restrictions. It was shown that leading up to the accident, he had been driving for more than 15 uninterrupted hours. Aside from exceeding his allotted consecutive work hours, he was also accused of having drugs in his system at the time of the crash. He is also believed to have been speeding. Not only has his alleged gross misconduct placed him in the position of facing numerous criminal charges, but two parties involved in the accident have already filed lawsuits against him and the company he was driving for.

In some truck accidents, any negligence shown by the driver could potentially be as apparent as it would appear to be here. In other, it might not be so. Yet regardless, the need for compensation for accident victims may not be diminished. Those needing such assistance may wish to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney.

Source: Chattanooga Times Free Press “Truck driver in fatal I-75 crash faces drug trafficking charges in Kentucky,” Shelly Bradbury, Aug. 10, 2015 

Getting into an accident with a commercial semi-truck can be devastating. This is because the size of a semi-truck likely dwarfs your car, since they are almost consistently the largest vehicles on the road. Because of the size of the car and severity of the impact, you may be left facing some permanent issues.

Potential physical issues are one of the first concerns that you might have. If you have been in a severe accident with a semi-truck, then you may also be facing severe damage. Physical damage from accidents can include things like broken or shattered bones, torn ligaments, and punctured organs. In more severe cases, it can include permanent disabilities. You may be facing a lifetime of limited mobility, or debilitating and painful injuries that will never fully heal.

If you are facing something like that, you will also be facing a hefty medical cost. You may not be able to cover these costs yourself, especially if you have needed to take time off of work in order to recover. This is why you may wish to file a lawsuit against the trucking company. If you are able to prove the trucking company at fault for your accident, you will be able to pursue medical compensation which may help you foot any bills you may have for medicines, surgeries and so on.

For more information on semi-truck accidents and what you can do if you or a loved one has suffered because of one, please visit our web page. There, you will be able to read more about this specific type of accident and its risks.

It has been reported before, but it deserves reiterating: driving while fatigued is a dangerous thing. It can take a toll on a person’s ability to concentrate, and it can make driving on the road with them dangerous, as drowsy drivers can also be the cause of accidents due to a lowered reaction time or falling asleep at the wheel.

It can be especially dangerous for truck drivers to drive while sleep deprived or fatigued. The National Center for Biotechnology Information stated that truck drivers who are driving late at night or early in the morning are particularly susceptible to fatigue. However, an unfortunately startling fact was also learned. After surveying a portion of truck drivers while on their job, the conclusion drawn was that on average, commercial truck drivers were not getting the amount of sleep that they needed in order to perform their job safely.

The same study estimates that there are around 5,000 deaths a year that are due to commercial truck accidents. Over 110,000 people are injured in accidents that involve a commercial truck, as well. After the crash data was examined, it was determined that either complete or partial fatigue is responsible for up to 56% of the accidents that commercial trucks are involved in. Considering it should be crucial for truck drivers to be getting an adequate amount of sleep before hitting the road, this is a very problematic and concerning set of statistics.

Regardless, the one thing that can be done to help lower these numbers is for commercial truck drivers to get an adequate amount of sleep. This way, accidents can be avoided. Companies should therefore ensure that they are not overworking their employees.

Any driver who has been involved in, or witnessed, a truck accident on the highway knows that these accidents can be particularly grisly. This is largely because a commercial truck generally dwarfs all other cars that it shares the roads with, resulting in maximum damage and injury to the drivers in the other vehicle.

However, one trio recently escaped a rather nasty trucking accident with minimal injuries. The 33 year old man and his two sons were taken to a hospital after being pulled from the wreckage of their car, which had been jammed underneath a commercial tractor trailer. The trailer, carrying milk, had driven a short distance with the other car crammed under it without noticing. However, the man and his sons had only non-life threatening injuries. Likewise, the driver of the trailer was not injured at all during the crash.

The crash itself looked gruesome at the time. The driver of the other vehicle reportedly lost control of his car due to a lane switch in the heavy rain. It was reported that the truck driver ran over the first car shortly thereafter, driving directly over the top of it and wedging it beneath the tank carrying milk. The tank itself was not leaking at the time police arrived on the scene. However, the diesel fuel was. That leak was stopped by the fire department.

Even accidents that don’t result in life-threatening injuries can be traumatizing for the people involved. Moreover, accident expenses can be extremely costly. Because of that, anyone who has been in an accident with a commercial truck may wish to contact an attorney for further guidance.

Source: ABC News, “Car Wedged Under Milk Tanker in Accident on a Tennessee Highway,” Kaylee Heck, July 3, 2015

If you or a loved one has been in a trucking accident, you understand the high damage toll that these types of accidents can take. This is due to the fact that trucks are large, fast, and heavy. When compared to an average car, a lot of damage can be done.

There are many different factors that have to be looked at when the court goes over your accident case. For example, not only does the state of the truck itself have to be inspected, but the state of the driver does as well. An accident could occur because the truck was not well maintained by the company. It could also happen if the driver was forced to drive too many hours. Being overworked and driving a large vehicle can be dangerous to anyone else on the road. The driver will usually also be checked to ensure that they were not driving while under the influence. In any case, a truck accident’s fault can lie with many different parties.

Then, you need to consider how to tackle this case in court. For example, you must consider whether or not multiple insurance claims will apply to your situation. The truck company may have insurance, as well as the owner of the freight, and the driver of the truck at the time of the accident. You may also need to deal with the driver’s log, in which case you will want to know if it’s accurate and can be used as evidence in court.

If you would like to read more about truck accidents and the many components that make one up, please visit the following link. It will take you to our web site, where you can learn more about the different aspects of a trucking accident and how it may impact you.