Need an Injury Lawyer for a Connecticut Truck Accident?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration claims that there were 336 truck accidents in Connecticut in 2012. This may be surprising information to you but think about the damage that can be done when these accidents occur. Look at it this way: Trucks usually tend to be well over 10,000 pounds compared to normal passenger vehicles that are maybe a third of that. Out of the 500,000 truck accidents that occur every year in the United States, about 5,000 of these end in fatalities. Knowing how large trucks are, this should come as no surprise, as damages are sure to result.
The truth is, both passenger vehicle drivers and truck drivers contribute to accidents on the roadways each and every year. Truck drivers are supposed to be some of the safest drivers on our roads, who abide by certain regulations to keep other drivers safe from harm every year in the U.S. Here are some of the most common reasons truck accidents occur every year:
- Not seeing other vehicle drivers in blind spots, or areas behind or beside a truck where visibility is lowest
- Left-turns in front of vehicles
- Unsafe passing
- Speeding
- Inadequate training of drivers on aspects of technique, safety, and defensive driving
- Systems of compensation integrated by trucking companies to encourage drivers to speed from destination to destination
- Unrealistic schedules that put drowsy drivers behind the wheel to meet demands
Trucking Regulations
Because truck accidents can lead to fatalities and we want to decrease the likelihood of these accidents on our roadways, many regulations have been enacted for drivers by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Some of the rules and regulations put in place include drug and alcohol testing, vehicle marking, adequate training of all employees, maintenance, and maybe one of the most important aspects, hours of service.
Hours of service violations occur more often than we would like to admit in the U.S. The hours of service regulations exist as a way for truck drivers to take adequate breaks when they have been on the roads for long periods of time, which could have a general impact on their driving, especially when they are drowsy. When a driver has taken at least 10 hours off duty, they are permitted to drive for 11 hours. They are not, however, permitted to drive after 60 hours in a 7-day-week. After this period has been met, a driver cannot return to the roads until they have rested for 34 hours.
When You Have Been Injured in a Truck Accident
If you have been injured in a truck accident, you may have suffered tremendous losses and wonder how you can recover to get your life back on track. We know that it is never easy to recover from one of these accidents that could have left you with life-changing injuries, such as broken bones, brain injuries, or even left you paralyzed. Some of these injuries may have left you permanently disabled. No matter what, we want to be there for you and help you work through recovery to get back on track in your life. You may have mounds of medical bills to take care of after so much time spent in the hospital and future treatment, lost income from missing work or being unable to return to work, and emotional suffering as you relive the accident every time you get in your vehicle.
In these accidents, you may find that there are more parties than just the truck driver at fault. For instance, what if a trucking company employer failed to adequately train their driver? What if a cargo loader didn’t secure cargo correctly and it fell off onto another vehicle? There may be more than just one party in these accidents, which is why it is important to mention that your claim could hold multiple parties liable.
Call us for help with your truck accident when you need us the most. Truck accidents happen every day in the U.S. and we want to help you recover in your dire time of need when it matters the most. Call us today for more information on how we can help you.