Articles Tagged with Truck Accidents

Trucks have always been dangerous on the road. And really, any vehicle has the potential to be dangerous — but with trucks, the threat is more unique than other vehicles. They are so big and powerful, not to mention a bit hard to control, that when they are involved in a wreck, the results are usually disastrous.

Here’s the kicker: the number of fatal truck accidents in the United States has been increasing at an alarming rate, and few people seem to be taking notice. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the number of fatal truck accidents increased by 18 percent from 2009 to 2012. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NTHSA) piles more misery on top of that stat, noting that 3,921 people died and 104,000 people were injured in truck accidents in 2012.

But these shocking stats don’t entirely capture the truly disturbing part about this rise in fatal trucking accidents: other motor vehicle accident factors have been in decline.

The news has certainly made the rounds that noted actor and comedian Tracy Morgan was involved in a very serious trucking accident last month, but it has only recently been announced that Morgan and two others injured in the crash have filed a lawsuit against the owner of the truck: Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Morgan and his fellow plaintiffs allege that the national retail chain was partially responsible for the crash by sending out a driver that it should have known was fatigued. In addition to their request for regular damages, Morgan, his assistant and another comedian are also asking for punitive damages.

While the accident did not happen in New York, this story serves as an important reminder that it is not just the individual truck driver who can be responsible in a trucking accident. If there is any indication that the owner of the vehicle or the trucker’s employer was negligent, they can also be held liable. In cases such as these, adding other responsible parties to the lawsuit may be the only way to truly be compensated for just such an accident. If the trucker’s insurance cannot cover all of the damages, Walmart certainly will be able to.

The lawsuit claims that Walmart should have known that the driver they were sending out was tired, as it had requested a Georgia driver to drive to Delaware before even starting his shift. Before he even started driving the Walmart truck, the driver had to drive more than 11 hours; it is no wonder that he was fatigued.

There are many people in Syracuse who will work while tired. For most jobs, this isn’t a problem, but for some jobs, being tired can cause some very serious complications. No one wants, for example, a tired surgeon. One career that is particularly susceptible to fatigue is truck driving. It is also one position in which being tired is very dangerous.

Congress and the federal government recognize this and there are a number of rules in place to limit trucker fatigue. Just last year, the government mandated that truckers must take 34 hours off before starting a 70-hour work week. Moreover, the rules require the drivers to have two nights or rest each week. While studies have shown that this time off does a better job of reducing fatigue and increasing alertness, there are trucking companies and truckers who are fighting the regulations.

While it makes sense that truckers would want their flexibility when it comes to when they can work, they are not the only ones on the road. When they drive while tired, they are not just putting their lives at risk, but everyone’s on the road. They can cause extremely serious trucking accidents, severe injuries and death.