Texas Truck Wreck Attorney Blog

There are a number of dangers inherent in sharing the roadways with semi-trucks - most we don't really give much thought to unless they are faced with a problem. Consider the following:

*Semi-trucks have considerable blind spots on all 4 sides. If you are traveling too close the driver may not see your vehicle. If the semi driver makes a left-hand turn in front of you - you may not be able to avoid an accident.

*Semi-trucks require greater stopping distances (up to 40%) than passenger vehicles of all other types. If you are traveling too close and a semi has to make a sudden or unexpected stop - you may not be able to avoid an accident.

*Semi-trucks with double-wide loads require exponentially greater room to speed up, slow down or move from lane to lane than the typical semi-truck. Their weight often exceeds 80,000 pounds.

*Semi-trucks are not always properly loaded. There are certain requirements for securing a load and ensuring that it will not shift when being carried across open roads - but they are not always met. When objects fly off a semi-truck at highway speeds other drivers are at risk of injury and accidents.

The truck driving industry employs lobbyists whose sole purpose is to lobby your representatives to weaken the current legislation related to trucking. Fewer safety regulations and requirements translate to greater profits for trucking companies - at the expense of other drivers.

Continue reading "Semi Truck Accidents" »

Persons who suffer from incomplete spinal cord injuries can exhibit a variety of problems - depending on what area of the spine was wounded. There are five separate types of incomplete spinal cord injuries that we will examine in this entry.

*Central cord syndrome is caused when the center of the spinal cord is injured. This type of injury will usually result in loss of arm and hand function and possibly some leg movement as well. This type of paralysis is referred to as inverse paraplegia because it is the upper half of the body that experiences paralysis - when it is more common for persons to be paralyzed in their lower limbs.

*Posterior cord syndrome is an injury to the back of the spinal cord. It is characterized by a lack of coordination but generally full sensation and muscle function below the injury location. However, it may impact an individual's sense of touch.

*Anterior cord syndrome occurs when there is injury to the front of the spinal cord. Below the point of injury there is a loss of temperature and pain sensation as well as muscle functioning.

*In a Cauda equine lesion the spinal cord is injured between the first and second lumbar. This may result in partial or complete loss of sensation - but it is possible that the nerves can regrow and patients could experience a full recovery.

*Brown-Sequard syndrome is injury to one side of the spinal cord - with a corresponding loss of movement but normal motion abilities still intact on the opposite side of the body.

It is very important that you seek competent medical care as soon as possible after a serious truck wreck. Many people delay treatment to their own peril.

Continue reading "Truck Wrecks and Spinal Cord Injury" »

Another illustrious government agency is the U.S. Department of Transportation. Although their purview includes all types of transportation - land, sea and air - they perform a variety of valuable services and provide a wealth of information to the American public. One of their current campaigns is to call attention to the dangers of distracted driving but there are a number of other relevant concerns currently posted on the site as well.

For instance, if you would like to know more about vehicle safety, drug and alcohol testing, airline security and the TSA, anything related to the trucking industry, the future of high speed rail in this country and access to state department of transportation satellites - then you would find this information at www.dot.gov.

In addition, the issue of green energy and transportation is also addressed on the website - and if you are the type of person who likes to keep track of where your tax dollars are going then you may access the extensive budgetary, performance and accountability material provided in a separate comprehensive presentation.

Finally, the website offers separate listings of services they provide to citizens, businesses and government agencies. Individuals can access extensive libraries and research, consumer and recreational information, the detailed provisions and expectations to apply for transportation related grants and loans - and other consumer related instruction.

As with the NHTSA site - I urge readers to take the time to review this website

Continue reading "The Department of Transportation Website" »

Truck driver fatigue has gotten increased attention in recent years as experts have been able to attribute more and more accident injuries and fatalities to Texas truck accidents. What follows are pertinent facts related to the burnout and exhaustion that come with driving long-distances across the country and lead to many truck wrecks in Texas.

*An average of nearly five thousand persons are killed annually in semi-truck accidents and a good part of those semi truck accidents occur in Texas. Additionally, another one hundred fifty thousand individuals sustain injuries of varying degree.

*One in four fatalities occur in a multi-vehicle collision with a semi-truck.

*According to research done by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) -fatigued truck drivers kill approximately 750 persons annually and cause another twenty thousand injuries. (Other organizations place the number of truck driver fatigue fatalities as the cause of somewhere between 30 - 40% of semi-truck accident deaths.

*Current federal regulations allow for a truck driver to be behind the wheel of a rig for ten consecutive hours before being required to take an eight-hour break.

The FMCSA is proposing rule changes that will require longer rest periods for drivers.

However, truck drivers and their respective companies have found numerous ways to subvert the rules - and the fatality statistics only further confirm how dangerous fatigued truck drivers are to everyone on the road. Many States such Texas have their own regulations for intra-state carriers.

Fortunately newer technology in the form of virtually tamper-proof electric on-board recorders is now being considered as required additions to semi-truck cabs. Let's hope our state and federal organizations keep the problem of truck driver fatigue at the forefront of the national consciousness.

I always advise my readers to drop a line to your legislators expressing your concern. Never take the regulation of trucks or its value in reducing truck accidents for granted.

A number of studies have been done over the past several decades whose findings have revealed that - even though each collision is unique - there are several common causes of truck accidents across the country.

Let us consider the top five mistakes that lead to truck wrecks involving semi-trucks (and other commercial vehicles) and often result in injury and wrongful death.

*Improper truck maintenance is one reason that so many semi-truck accidents happen on American roads. Worn tire tread, unattended to brakes and brake systems, inattention to proper care of the coupling system and other oversights in the care of an 18 wheeler can have deadly consequences for the rig driver and other unsuspecting persons on the road. Unfortunately, proactive attention to proper maintenance may be the best life-saving interventions that can be undertaken by the trucking industry.

*Driver fatigue is also one of the top five causes of truck accidents. Semi-truck drivers are put under pressure by their respective trucking companies to get their commodities from the place of origin to their destination. This leads to individuals pushing themselves beyond their physical capabilities in order meet expectations. Even though regulations are in place that are meant to prevent drivers criss-crossing the country without the proper rest - it happens regularly anyway - and, not surprisingly, accidents are often the result.

*Speeding is yet another cause of semi-truck accidents because it is another way that drivers can make up for time lost in traffic jams or bad weather. It can also lead to deadly accidents at a moment's notice because of unpredictable events on the roads that do not allow drivers adequate stopping time and distance.

Finally - improperly placed loads and substance abuse round out the top five causes of semi-truck accidents.

If you notice a truck driver behaving erratically contact local law enforcement or the state highway patrol. We have an obligation to keep each other safe on the roads.

Continue reading "Top 5 Causes of Truck Accidents" »

The federal government has developed a site that is devoted solely to keeping the public informed about vehicle collisions in the country. Known as the Fatality Accident Reporting System or FARS - it is operated by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) under the auspices of the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).

FARS is strictly statistical in nature - drawing its information from a variety of sources including accident reports, vehicle registration and driver's license files, death certificates, coroner and medical examiner reports, and emergency service and medical record reports.

The purpose for this data gathering is to use facts that include weather conditions, time of day, speed and a determination of alcohol impairment and other factors to determine a cause of death. In addition, they consider such things as the age and sex of drivers and passengers and the type of vehicle or vehicles involved in the collision.

Finally, the type of accident is cataloged - such as whether it was a roll-over, rear-end or head-on crash.

Of course, much more information than this is available on the site. In the end, though, the hope is that through this fact-gathering trends may emerge that help experts determine ways in which further accidents - resulting in catastrophic injuries and/or death - may be prevented.

Too, it is an excellent resource for organizations that advocate safe driving habits and manufacturers who are consistently looking to engineer better safety devices.

Continue reading "FARS- Car and Truck Accident Statistics" »

One of the most valuable government organizations is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. I stay abreast of current research related to all things 'driving' and particularly things related to accident prevention and safety.

What follows are a few of the most recent findings and cautions from this group as shown on the NHTSA web site.

*If you have children then you can register your car seat on the NHTSA website. If the car seat becomes subject to a recall for any reason - you will be notified with all relevant information.

*In light of the recent increase in gasoline at stations around the country - the NHTSA has created a lengthy list of suggestions to help save on fuel economy and get the most out of your fuel dollars.

*The NHTSA website provides a lengthy discourse on the results of the most recent crash studies - and names the safest vehicles in all categories.

*There are special sections devoted to the various driving hazards mentioned on a regular basis in this blog - including senior and teen driving, impaired and distracted driving as well as the most recent safety devices that come standard in new vehicles.

Their findings tend to be academic and unbiased - trustworthy.

Finally, they offer the user access to an image library, budget, regional offices and organizational chart. The site is easy to navigate - and may be one of the most educational uses of your time. Click to view the NHTSA site.

Continue reading " National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Website" »

Impaired driving can not only be the result of intoxication or the ingestion of illegal substances - sometimes simple over the counter medications or prescription drugs can also inhibit safe motoring. In other cases these same drugs can interact with alcohol in a way that increases its potency as well.

For instance, experts have found that aspirin taken with a caffeine drink can have the same dulling effects as several drinks - comparing to an 0.05 level of alcohol in the bloodstream. Dramamine - a substance taken to combat seasickness - can also cause drowsiness and dizziness - a dangerous combination for drivers and a number of over-the-counter cough and cold medicines increases the effects of alcohol when taken in combination. Any time a driver is less than 100% the odds of a car accident or a truck accident increase.

Too, there are millions of prescription drugs taken by persons on a daily basis in this country. In fact, research suggests that nearly eighty percent of individuals age 65 and over take at least one type of medicine daily - and many are on a combination regimen of drugs for a wide variety of ailments.

While it's heartening to realize that the pharmaceutical companies and medicine have been able to increase the length and quality of life - this progress comes with risks.
Unfortunately, many seniors are unable to verbalize the cautions their physicians have given in relation to taking medicine and driving.

At the same time, research is beginning to show there is a direct correlation between prescription and over the counter medications and an increase in vehicular collisions.

If you are using any type of medicine - read the labels, talk to your doctor or a pharmacist. Be fully cognizant of the effects of medicine on your ability to drive safely.

Continue reading "Impaired Driving by OTC Drugs" »