Recent semi-truck accidents reinforce the belief that there is a need to address the problem nation-wide to avoid continued carnage on our roadways.
A semi-truck driver failed to recognize slowed traffic in time to avoid plowing into a minivan. As a result three children were killed - all preschoolers and brothers and sisters. The accident occurred as the mother watched helplessly from the front seat.
A Good Samaritan who had stopped to help another driver was struck and killed by a semi as he stood on the side of the road.
A rig driver lost control of his vehicle causing it to cross the median and strike two other cars head on. All of the passengers and drivers of the cars were killed instantly. The semi-truck driver survived.
A semi-truck driver failed to stop in time to avoid literally driving over several smaller cars stopped for construction. It was the greatest loss of life in any semi-truck accident ever recorded in the United States.
It is expected that there will be an increase of 20 - 40% in the number of semi-trucks that will traverse this country over the next decade. No one has even begun to broach the subject of how this will 'play-out' in terms of an increase in injuries and deaths due to the additional rigs on our roads - but if I could proffer an educated guess - it can't be good.
Some people are calling for the development of roadways dedicated exclusively for semi-truck use. While this is certainly an expensive proposition on the surface - with the medical and insurance costs that are bound to occur because of semi-truck accidents as well as the sheer loss of life - one has to wonder if this idea shouldn't be explored further - and quickly.
Greg Baumgartner is a Houston truck accident attorney and the founder of the Baumgartner law firm, which is dedicated to helping injury victims seek civil justice. For a free no obligation consultation with a Texas personal injury lawyer in Houston call the Baumgartner firm.
