Tag: Truck

7 Ways Truck Accidents Differ from the Regular Car Crashes

Truck accidents happen due to severe weather conditions, road hazards, and exhausted driving. When the accidents occur, the laws require further steps than are needed for a standard auto accident. Federal and state laws apply to truck accidents, and law enforcement must follow these laws when determining happened. Victims who were involved in a trucking accident review the 7 ways truck accidents differ from regular car accidents. Here are the 7 Ways Truck Accidents Differ from the Regular Car Crashes: 1. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator Regulations Apply Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator regulations require all commercial drivers to take a resting period after each 12-hour driving schedule. A failure to follow the regulation increases the risk of a trucking accident. All miles traveled in the truck are recorded in the driver's log. Additionally, the drivers are required to stop at weigh stations that are open throughout the interstate. An imbalanced load increases the risk of the rig jackknifing and causing a trucking accident. All drivers and trucking companies must follow all federal laws pertaining to operating an 18-wheeler. 2. A Higher Potential Payout Through Insurance Trucking companies have more insurance coverage than most auto owners. Victims involved in the trucking accidents have a chance of receiving far more substantial payouts to cover medical expenses and property damage if the truck is owned by a trucking company. The coverage applies to all victims involved in the accident when the commercial driver is responsible for the accident. If the victim's injuries and property damage costs exceed the coverage maximum, the victim can file a lawsuit to collect compensation. 3. A More Thorough Investigation is Required Federal laws require more thorough investigations for all trucking accidents. An investigation determines if the commercial driver followed federal regulations or if the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The truck is evaluated for mechanical failures that contributed to the accident, too. 4. More Substantial Injuries and a Higher Risk of Fatalities The risk of more substantial injuries or fatalities is greater than with regular car crashes. The weight of the commercial truck alone increases the likelihood of a fatal accident. Trucking accidents often include several vehicles and multiple injuries. 5. More Potential Individuals Could be Involved in the Accidents The accountable party isn't always clear at first when it comes to trucking accidents. First, law enforcement evaluates the driver. If the driver didn't cause the accident, the next step is to evaluate the truck for mechanical failures and faulty parts. Any mechanical failures that were due to the trucking company's failure to serve the truck make the trucking company liable. 6. Medical Bills Often Cost More After a trucking accident, the victim's medical bills could cost a lot more than if the victim was involved in a regular car crash. Since injuries are often more severe, the medical costs are greater, and some patients sustain permanent injuries. Traumatic brain injuries are more likely in commercial trucking accidents. 7. More Property Damage Than in Regular Auto Accidents Extensive property damage is possible in a trucking accident. The path of the accident defines how much property damage occurs. If the accident happens on a major highway, it is possible for the accident to involve multiple vehicles and properties that are nearby. Commercial trucking accidents increase the risk of serious injuries and fatalities. Whenever a large-scale truck is involved, the weight and the speed of the truck play a role in the outcome. Victims who were involved in the accidents follow tips for filing lawsuits and collecting compensation for their injuries and financial losses. Read Also: Get to Know Interstate and Intrastate Heavy Haul Transport The Hidden Damages In Workspaces: 5 Steps To Reduce The Risk Of Workplace Injuries!

READ MOREDetails
Accident

What to Do if You’re in an Accident with a Placarded Truck in Tampa

An accident involving any kind of vehicle or vehicles has the potential to cause great harm for a number of reasons. In addition to the collision of metal, glass, and rubber, the combustion of either vehicle’s fuel tank is a significant factor with which to contend. If one of those vehicles is a placarded truck however, the dangers multiply over and over again. What is a Placarded Truck in Tampa, Florida? Trucks are required, by law, to place specially designed placards on their vehicles when carrying hazardous materials. The type of hazards the materials possess, the amounts being transported, and whether or not these materials will be carried between or within state lines, all determine what colors and numbers the placards have. The transport of these chemicals and substances is quite a dangerous task, which is why placarded trucks are so highly regulated by the Federal government. Hazardous Materials Transported by Placarded Trucks Hazardous materials are categorized into classes based on toxicity, chemical makeup, solid/ liquid/ gaseous state, and how they are generally used. These designations were established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a section of the United States Department of Transportation. They include the following categories: Class 1:  Explosives Class 2: Gases Class 3: Flammable and Combustible Liquid Class 4:  Flammable Solids, Spontaneously Combustible, and Dangerous When Wet Class 5: Oxidizer and Organic Peroxide Class 6: Poison and Poison Inhalation Hazard Class 7: Radioactive Class 8: Corrosive Class 9: Miscellaneous What to Do if You Are in an Accident with a Truck Carrying Placarded Material in Tampa, Florida Given the inherent dangers involved with the materials listed above, it is important that you take extra measures to ensure your safety if you are ever in a crash with a placarded truck. Move as Far Out of the Area as Possible It is critical that you move as far away from the scene of the accident as possible. Seconds, milliseconds even, count far more than you may understand, even in the absence of a crisis. Call 911 Because combustion is very likely and because the risk of fatalities, injuries, long lasting trauma, and property damage are so high, the police, firemen, and additional first responders must be contacted. It is crucial that the departments contacted through 911 be notified that hazardous materials are involved. It is up to the truck driver and the company for whom they work to inform the police and other agencies of the exact nature of the materials being carried in their truck. Accept Medical Support from Emergency Medical Crews The list of possible injuries from an accident of this magnitude is long and painful. Burns, broken limbs, facial fractures, head injuries from flying debris and blunt force, poisoning, and respiratory distress are only a few of the conditions for which you and other survivors will have to be evaluated. We urge you to follow medical orders at the scene of the accident as well as the hospital to which you will be transported. Contact a car accident lawyer in Tampa, Florida If you are ever in accident of this nature, it is best that you contact a car accident lawyer in Tampa, Florida  as soon as possible  While you will need to recover, recoup, and refresh, your Tampa, Florida car accident lawyer will guide you through every step of the legal process that is  sure to unfold.

READ MOREDetails