Las Vegas Tractor Trailer Accident Lawyers
A person in the U.S. is injured or killed in a tractor-trailer accident every 16 minutes. These tractor-trailers, which are also known as large commercial trucks, 18-wheelers, semi-trucks or big-rigs, greatly outsize and outweigh those in the passenger cars around them. It is hard to stand a chance in a collision with these road giants. Any truck over 10,000 pounds qualifies as a tractor-trailer. However, a typical commercial truck loaded to capacity weighs approximately 80,000 pounds. A car weighs around 3,000 pounds. The sheer size difference alone is staggering, and it is not surprising that most collisions involving semi-trucks result in severe injuries or fatalities. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released a report stating that in accidents involving large trucks and other motor vehicles, 98 percent of the fatalities are the people in the smaller vehicles.
We drive past big-rigs every day on the way to the office or to pick up the kids from baseball practice. The statistics involving semi-trucks are disturbing. In a recent 10-year period, fatalities from tractor-trailer involved accidents rose by 10 percent. Although it is unclear exactly why the numbers continue to rise, there are a number of reasons why these collisions occur – fatigue, negligence, aggressive driving, drug use or intoxication, speeding, or faulty machinery such as tires and brakes.
Truck drivers drive for hours on end and are kept to stringent time schedules. The faster products get from place to place, the more potential earnings for the commercial truck companies. Because of this, big-rig drivers often suffer from fatigue. These long shifts can lead to negligence on the road…at the risk of other drivers’ safety. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board reports that fatigue is a probable factor in 20-40 percent of all large commercial truck accidents. However, exhaustion isn’t the only challenge truck drivers encounter – semi-trucks have “no zones” which are big blind sports in the rear, front and side of the truck. In addition, semi-trucks require longer stopping distance, more space to make wide turns and should not change lanes as often as passenger vehicles. When truck drivers disregard these challenges, the consequences can be horrific. You can do your part in protecting yourself and those around you by staying alert and driving defensively, especially around large commercial trucks.
When accidents involving tractor-trailers occur, trucking companies send representatives to the scene in an effort to mitigate accountability. This is why it is important to have a skilled tractor-trailer accident lawyer protecting your rights. If you or someone close to you has been harmed or killed in a tractor-trailer accident, contact us at the David Francis Law Firm immediately. We will work to help recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering.
