A semi-truck hit a truck and a car that were stopped on an I-64 bridge killing the driver of the car and the truck. The semi-truck driver was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover. According to official at the scene, the truck had likely broken down, and the car stopped along side it. The semi-truck hit both vehicles instantly killing both drivers.
The wreck happened in the westbound lanes of I-64 near mile marker 55 around 9:30 a.m., Sunday, February 17th. Fortunately, there were two dogs in one of the vehicles and both survived. The accident is still under investigation.
Semi -Truck Crashes
Large semi-trucks can cause significant problems for motorists on the highways. Motorists often don’t give them the respect due and sometimes fail to take caution. This can be dangerous as a fully-loaded tractor-trailer can weigh up to 80,000 lbs which can outweigh a typical passenger car by as much as 20 times.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 3,986 people died in large truck crashes in 2016, and passenger vehicle drivers and occupants comprised 66 percent of those fatalities. Only 17 percent were truck drivers due to the protection given them by their truck.
How do Semi-Truck Crashes Occur?
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, 59 percent of all large truck crashes occur on U.S. highways while 19 percent of them occurred on freeways and interstate highways while the balance of them occurred on state highways, county roads and minor roads.
Though each crash is unique, there are commonalities that can be seen over time in semi-truck and passenger vehicle crashes. Some of them are:
- Speeding: Overall, speed is a primary cause of over 31 percent of all traffic fatalities.
- Reckless driving: Erratic driving, aggressive driving, abrupt lane changes and other behavior that unnecessarily puts others in danger.
- Distracted driving: Texting and other cell phone use is rapidly overtaking all other forms of distracted driving. Others include changing the radio or cd player, or eating.
- Drowsy Drivers: Trucks often spend hours on the road leading to driver fatigue.
- Load shifts: These happen when an unsecured load causes a truck to swerve or jackknife, this can be avoided by using suitable restraints to properly secure the cargo or load of he vehicle.
Liability and Semi-Trucks
The bad news, is when a car and truck tangle, it usually doesn’t go well for the car. The good news is, most large commercial vehicles have a fair amount of insurance. Most big rigs come under the regulation of the federal government because they deal in interstate commerce. The Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration requires that all freight trucks carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage and up to $1,000,000 for trucks carrying oil.
Thus if you are injured due to the negligence of a commercial freight hauler, then there is usually enough money to compensate you for your injuries.
Do I need an Attorney?
If you are injured by a semi-truck or other large commercial truck, you might wonder if you need an attorney. The truth is, many times you don’t. However, if you don’t have someone looking out for your interests, then you are left with relying on the insurance company to treat you fairly. It is the insurance agent’s job to pay you as little as allowed.
The attorneys at Kaufman and Stigger, PLLC, have that knowledge and a combined 100 years’ experience in helping clients get the results they deserve. To discuss your case, call Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC today, at (800) 937-8443 or click here to contact them online.
