Houston Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

The worst kind of accidents are probably head on collisions. The reason for this is that the mass and momentum of two vehicles hurtling at each other - usually at top speed and often without the time to apply the brakes - does not leave room for much else than instant death.

If individuals do survive head on collisions they are usually left with catastrophic injuries that include everything from paralysis to traumatic brain injuries to crippling burns. Rarely do people who survive head on collisions ever enjoy the same quality of life they experienced before the accident.

There are a number of factors that could lead to a head on collision. Perhaps the driver is drowsy - falls asleep at the wheel and the vehicle crosses the center line or median into the path of an oncoming car or truck.

Maybe a person gets confused and enters the highway going in the wrong direction and is unable to get off the road before hitting another car. Of course there's always the drunk driver who loses control of the car - smashing into an innocent victim (or victims) coming the other way.

Finally, mechanical failure in a vehicle - which could include anything from a tire blow out to brakes giving out - could cause a vehicle to veer into the path of an oncoming car.
Always wear your seat belt and make sure your airbags are in good working order.

When traveling on 2 lane each way highways, travel in the right hand lane as studies have shown it is a safer lane to avoid head on collisions.

Continue reading "Head On Wrecks" »

Not mentioned often enough - either in this blog or other forums - is the inherent danger associated with driving drowsy or driving fatigued.

A number of highly publicized accidents have traced their causes to persons who have fallen asleep behind the wheel of their car while driving.

Consider the following accidents.

Recently a semi truck driver fell asleep at the wheel of his rig as it was motoring down an interstate highway. His truck drifted across several lanes of the highway running headlong into a grove of trees where it finally came to rest partially turned over. Fortunately no one was injured and the cargo was reloaded over several hours. The driver got a motel room after he was cited.

A car full of young kids was returning from a vacation - attempting to make it home in record time by driving through the night. The only problem was that the young man who was driving fell asleep at the wheel. The car crossed the center line and before the accident was over several of his friends were dead. Oh but for the cost of a hotel room and a few extra hours...

Some estimates state that up to twenty percent of wrongful death accidents are caused by drowsy drivers who may actually fall asleep behind the wheel or whose reaction time is slowed and who are not fully aware of their driving surroundings.

In addition, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration believes that drowsy drivers cause up to 100,000 auto accidents as well.

Coffee and energy drinks are no replacement for a good night's sleep. Drive safely.

Continue reading "Drowsy Driving Kills" »

A topic rarely considered - and yet one that can be found at the heart of any number of vehicle collisions - is the act of towing a trailer behind a vehicle. Whether you're moving across town or across the state - let us offer some good advice to help keep you safe.

The first thing to remember if you're going to use a trailer is to be sure that the load you are hauling is fastened securely. Not only does this ensure that items you are carrying do not fall out of the trailer and get ruined or cause an accident but when if the load shifts while you are driving then you may lose control of the vehicle.

The second thing to remember is that the car you are driving has the ability to tow a trailer safely - and that the weight of the trailer does not exceed the recommended capacity or this may again lead to loss of vehicle control and an accident. Too, be sure that the item you are towing can be correctly hitched to the car.

The third thing to remember is that once you have hooked up the trailer to the back of your car (or truck) then position someone behind it and be sure that the brake lights of the trailer go on when you step on the brakes.

When towing a trailer your vehicle brake lights are not visible - an important safety feature for every driver!

Finally, slow down. Driving with a trailer attached to a vehicle requires even greater vigilance - and if you drive too fast you run the risk of losing the trailer and causing an accident.

We see many serious personal injury and wrongful death accidents involving towing trailers- be safe drive carefully/

Continue reading "Towing Safety" »

Recent truck accidents include an early morning semi truck and big truck accident in Texas that claimed the lives of both drivers in a head on collision. As yet the cause of the truck fire accident is undetermined but law enforcement are looking at the possibility of one of the drivers falling asleep at the wheel or brake failure.

On the same day as the aforementioned accident an elderly man was killed when a semi truck was exiting a parking lot and his SUV ran into it. It appears he did not see the semi at all because of the absence of skid marks which would be an indication that he had attempted to stop.

In another accident several weeks ago - and in another state - a semi truck actually tipped over when the driver failed to negotiate a right hand turn. The trailer fell onto a compact car and instantly killed the driver.

Two weeks ago the driver of a large truck lost control of his vehicle and ran head on into a semi truck sending the cab and its driver flying over a hundred feet below it into a river. The semi truck driver's body found several hours later and the other truck driver was not injured and was eventually charged with reckless driving.

Unfortunately Big rig accidents happen daily.

More often than not there are fatalities involved. As the previous stories show - combining drowsiness, recklessness or distraction with driving can be downright deadly.

Continue reading "Recent Truck Accidents in Texas" »

There are several reasons why truck drivers and trucking companies are not popular with jurors.

The first reason is that a truck driver is a professional and is held to a professional standard of driving. They are operating rigs that if involved in an accident most likely will lead to serious injury or wrongful death.

The second reason is because there are very specific rules which professional truck drivers and trucking companies must follow to protect the public. Violation of these clear well-established safety standards in pursuit of profit is not a popular concept.

The third reason why trucking companies and their drivers are unpopular with jurors is that any risk taking with an 80,000-pound vehicle on the highway is one that needs to be addressed to protect our community.

Most truck accidents with truck driver negligence or trucking company violations that can be clearly demonstrated to the world by the application of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations does not make the defendants look good.

In many typical truck accident lawsuits many of the defense tricks are not well received by a jury when balanced against the conduct of a "professional" driver and company profits over safety.

Continue reading "3 Reasons Why Jurors Hold Truckers Accountable" »

As part of a crackdown on distracted driving the DOT has proposed prohibiting professional truck drivers from using cell phones while driving.

The Department of Transportation's proposal spear headed by DOT Sec. Ray LaHood is the latest effort to prevent commercial drivers from distracted driving.

Distracted driving is a huge problem in America; every day folks are killed because someone was texting or reading e-mail. Several families who have lost young drivers have also mounted campaigns against distracted driving.

The difference between drivers and truck drivers is the devastation that can be caused by an 80,000-pound big rig.

The DOT estimates that approximately 10% of all semi truck accidents were partly due to inattention by a commercial truck driver.

As with all DOT regulations a review and comment time precedes any rule being finalized.

Let us hope this new regulation gets adopted promptly, it will save lives.

Continue reading "New Regulation to Prohibit Cell Phone Use by Truckers" »

The number of commercial truck accidents as a part of the statistics on injury and fatality accidents in America is relatively small in comparison to the number of other accidents. The numbers are below ten percent and have been as low as 8% in recent years.

Now if you or a friend or loved one has been involved in an 18 wheeler accident then the loss can dominate your thoughts- but overall, with millions of drivers taking to the road each day some that are "out of service" and in states of 'disrepair' one can breathe a heavy sigh of relief that there are not more truck wrecks than what actually occur.

My advice to drivers who wish to avoid an injury accident with a big truck is to adhere to the following suggestions. First, if you are passing a semi truck do not linger at its side but move quickly around it (within safe speeds) and then give yourself plenty of room before pulling back in front of it.

Drive defensively - day and night. If you are following the rules of the road you have a better chance of reaching your destination safely. That means don't tailgate (especially big rigs because the rule of the road is if you can't see the vehicle then he can't see you) or speed.

Always be on guard for erratic driving in cars and 18-wheelers. If you see one that does not seem to be following strict driving guidelines then notify your state highway patrol by pulling over safety and either dialing 911 or the number of your local Highway Patrol.

There are many types of trucks and cars that fall under the heading of 'commercial vehicle'.

They include vehicles designed to transport goods including fuel; ones that may have a refrigeration unit and/or hold up to nine passengers; or are titled in the name of a business or corporation. Vans, garbage trucks, city vehicles, taxis, buses, construction equipment, semi trucks and box trucks and coaches are all specific examples of commercial vehicles.

In addition, they are classified by weight in the United States.
Contributing factors to accidents between cars and commercial vehicles include such things as drivers who may be rushing to make a delivery, or attempting to meet a scheduled pick-up of a person or item.

In addition, sometimes accidents occur because the drivers of municipal vehicles are attending to city business first - and putting safety last. Often this type of negligence is not deliberate - but the results are often the same.

Recent reports of commercial vehicle accidents that resulted in injury include a taxi driver who ran into a elderly man crossing the street in the crosswalk and with the light. The taxi driver claimed his passenger urged him to hurry because he was late for an appointment.

In another city a bus driver engaged in a conversation with a passenger hit a pair of teenagers and left them with recoverable injuries.

Finally, right here in Texas a garbage truck driver caused minor property damage when it backed into an automobile parked near the trash cans set out for the day's pick-up.

Commercial vehicle drivers are just like you and me - use caution when driving near and around them.

Continue reading "Commercial Vehicle Accidents" »

With the large amount of farming that is done here in Texas it should come as no surprise that farm equipment accidents and wrongful deaths happen with more regularity than one might at first believe. There are multiple causes for this including the employee or farmer inexperience and/or improper training, equipment malfunction and simple negligence.

Recent fatalities around the country (that could just as easily have happened right here in our own backyard) include the death of a farmer who was working alone when he became pinned between two pieces of farm equipment and was unable to extricate himself. Consider the following reported incidents.

In a nearby state a farmer initially working with his wife to load grain into their silo entered the silo to unstop the auger. Meanwhile, his wife left to attend to other chores and when she returned she found her husband had been accidentally suffocated when the flow of the grain could not be stopped.

In a third and final incident a farmer in upstate New York entered a tank trailer on a dairy farm and died when he was overcome by methane fumes.

Because farm machinery and equipment is so sophisticated today - every safety organization now firmly advises that no person be left working alone or undertake a task without a partner. As these stories show it takes only a moment for a person to lose the ability to handle a situation on their own. (In a word, it's not your grandmother's farm anymore).

Continue reading "Farm Equipment Accidents" »

There is a wealth of statistics related to driving available with just the stroke of a computer key. Some of them are interesting - others alarming - and still others mildly entertaining. Consider the following bits of information.

A recent study found that there are over 2 hundred million licensed drivers in this country alone. That would mean that there are several billion drivers world-wide.
Currently each and every driver on the road has a near-miss driving experience up to three times a month and will be in an actual accident an average of once every eight years.

If population statistics remain on target then the seventy and older segment will be the largest subgroup of drivers in this country in fifteen years. As you might suspect, they will also make up the majority of accidents - particularly those that involve turning left or right in front of other vehicles.

In all, the annual cost of vehicle collisions will rise to over 450 billion dollars.
Recent data confirms that there are over 7 million vehicle accidents in this country each and every year! Half of these result in varying degrees of physical injuries to victims.

Finally, in a statistic that proves teenage drivers are lead foots behind the wheel of the car - the chances that a teen driver will receive a speeding ticket are 22% more likely than that of their senior citizen counterparts.

Now keep these statistics in mind when you set out on the open road.

Continue reading "Over 7 Million Car Accidents a Year in the US" »

There is no argument for the statement that poor owner vehicle maintenance can cause auto accidents. One source finds that up to twenty percent of vehicle accidents are caused by the negligence of car and truck owners.

Most commonly - brakes that are not regularly replaced and worn tires are just two of the causes of collisions that could be avoided if vehicle owners took better care of their cars.

In addition, car buffs that do custom modifications may put their vehicles at risk of damaging others. Added items such as spinners and spoilers can come off in an accident if not properly secured.

Other types of maintenance that may not seem as obvious include changing windshield wipers when they are cracked and ineffective - otherwise a driver's vision may be hindered - particularly in wintry conditions such as snow, sleet, and ice. At the same time, broken heaters and defrosters can cause windows to also ice up and make it difficult to see as well.

Tail and brake lights that are not replaced are especially dangerous. When a driver is either unable to signal others around him of his or her intentions to change lanes or directions or when there is no way to indicate that you are slowing down because the brake lights don't work - then you place everyone including yourself in grave danger.

Too, side mirrors and the rear view mirror should be operable (I have seen cars that are missing either or both of these very simple but vital safety devices).

One final word of advice - take your car in for routine maintenance. At the risk of sounding too dramatic - it may actually save a life.

Continue reading "Proper Vehicle Maintenance is Critical " »

How safe is the average semi truck on the road? Who's keeping tabs on the condition of semi trucks? The average citizen is probably unaware that the United States government has an organization within it to address all issues and problems related to the trucking and semi truck industry. It is a branch of the United States Department of Transportation called the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration or the FMCSA.

One look at their homepage and the reader will see that the organization keeps itself busy by overseeing safety and other topics related to the motor carrier industry as a whole. Just a few of their most recent concerns should help to put the average American at ease concerning how safe those big trucks are with whom we share the road.

For instance, the FMCSA has undertaken the challenging task of initiating a Comprehensive Safety Analysis program that includes inspection of all motor coaches (such as Greyhound buses), driver prescreening and a federal ban on texting while driving. (As a reminder - texting includes the use of a cell phone to send or receive messages and/or the use of the cell phone internet).

In addition, the website is an excellent source for drivers and citizens alike to learn more about the consequences of failing to meet state and federal guidelines with regard to any safety topic including vehicle inspections and maintenance as well as driver expectations. They have an extensive area to learn more about the rules and regulations of motor carrier safety - for those who are interested the website is listed below.

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/

Continue reading "Regulation of the Trucking Industry" »

The debate rages on regarding cell phone use, texting and car accidents. There was little debate however of the inherent dangers of taking your eyes off the road to tend to a text message or e-mail.

Many municipalities and some states have addressed the problem by passing ordinances which prohibit texting and sometimes cell phone use while driving. The federal government has also banned texting my truck drivers or federal employees by driving.

The debate centers not on whether or not texting and driving is dangerous but on what we do about it. Some people who are technologically advanced rely on text messages or e-mail or video conferencing multiple types of day in their busy lives. Others may not even use mobile e-mail or text messages.

There are apps that have been developed that automatically turn off texts and e-mail messages while the vehicle is in motion. I applaud the ingenuity but believe it will have little long-term impact on reducing car accidents. Likewise individual cities or towns ordinances will have little overall effect for reducing car accidents from texting.

I believe what we need is a uniform statute covering every state that sets definite criteria for safe driving and prohibits text or e-mail while driving. I would also support a ban on cell phone use while driving.

Continue reading "Cell Phone Use and Car Accidents" »