In the past 50 years, thousands of motorists and truck drivers have been killed and/or injured in large trucking accidents primarily resulting from driver error and negligent maintenance by trucking companies. Unsafe driving, over-sized loads and other acts of negligence have put the public, as well as, truck operators in danger.

Here are some crash statistics:

• California is one of approximately 10 states which impose a slower speed limit for large trucks and commercial vehicles.
• Approximately 7% of all of the vehicle miles driven in the nation are done so by large truck drivers.
• Federal crash statistics have shown that at least 20% of large trucking accidents are due to excessive speed. This is especially so when coupled with problems resulting from excessive speed and braking.
• While mechanical failures, reckless driving and improper driver training account for many of the crashes, the National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA) reports that driver fatigue is responsible for between 30% and 40% of all big rig crashes and is the probable cause in over 30% of the crashes that resulted in the truck driver’s death.
• Much like the tragic frequency of traumatic brain injury in this country, every 16 minutes, each day, another person in the United States will be injured or killed in a trucking-related accident. It is not surprising that at least one-third of the injured suffer catastrophic harm and damage. In 2003 alone, over 450,000 large trucks were involved in crashes. In a survey done that year, almost 20% of truckers admitted to falling asleep at the wheel at least once in the previous three-month period.
• Each year about 600 large truck occupants are killed and about 30,000 are injured in highway crashes according to data collected by NHTSA. (This compares to approximately 5000 deaths resulting to passengers in smaller vehicles involved with large trucks and over 140,000 injuries per year to individuals operating smaller vehicles involved with large truck accidents).

If you’ve suffered severe injuries in a truck crash in San Francisco, call our experienced team of attorneys today to pursue the compensation you rightfully deserve.

Clearly, in multiple vehicle crashes, smaller vehicles and their occupants are at a vast disadvantage when a large truck is involved. Nonetheless, large truck safety should involve safety to big rig drivers and their occupants as well as safety to smaller vehicles.

There is a dearth of federal regulation or efforts by truck manufacturers or trucker trade unions to provide rudimentary safety measures to protect truck drivers. Doors should stay shut, windshields should not pop out, and some type of safety cage, ought to be, but isn’t normally available.

Newly registered trucks and ever expanding fleets of trucks results in greater competition. Drivers are under increased pressure to deliver faster in order to remain competitive. While regulations state that a big-rig operator can only “drive” for 10 hours per day, and must have 8 hours off for each 10 hours of driving, there is also load/unload time, often involving hours of physical labor. It is no wonder that truckers admit to falling asleep at the wheel. Many times the truckers’ 10 hours of driving begins after hours of physical labor getting the load ready to go.

Unfortunately, when a 2,000 pound automobile is involved in an accident with an 80,000 pound tractor-trailer, even the best of passenger vehicle design may not prevent catastrophic injury from resulting.

The Scarlett Law Group has been involved in big rig accidents resulting from improper maintenance, braking problems, driver error, jack-knife, lane change error/blind spot, as well as fatigue. Despite that the resulting harm to passenger vehicles and occupants is easily seen, the Scarlett Law Group routinely utilizes the services of biomechanical engineers and accident reconstructionists, as well as safety specialists, mechanics and others in order to convincingly establish their clients’ cases.

Given the dramatic proportional difference between passenger vehicle and big-rig, accidents involving alleged operator error, or mechanical error in semi-tractor-trailers, generally these are vigorously defended. It is not uncommon for the defense to point to driver error on the part of the passenger vehicle operator. Did he or she cut in front of the truck? Did he or she operate their passenger vehicle in a blind spot for an inordinate amount of time? Was an improper passing technique utilized by the passenger vehicle?

If you or a loved one has been in an accident involving a tractor trailer or a large truck, our San Francisco trucking accident attorneys have the expertise to assist you through your difficult times. Call now.