Houston Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

If improperly loaded trucks pose a hazard to the driving public - one can be sure that so, too, does an improperly parked truck. Now, there is no question that truck drivers are usually faced with a dilemma in most parking situations. In city driving - there is usually little room to turn or maneuver and few parking areas allotted to hold a vehicle of such massive size and girth. Highway driving is equally problematic.

If a semi-truck driver suddenly needs to pull off the road - it requires ample space for them to get up to speed again before pulling back onto the road. Of course, it is true that over-the-road or long-distance truckers are usually able to find a place to park either short or long term if they need to grab a bite to eat or get some sleep (most are equipped with sleeping berths).

Unfortunately, even though there are ordinances that govern where a truck can stop and park - often truck drivers overlook these rules in the name of convenience. When this happens -accidents that result from improperly parked trucks are very common - and many have resulted in catastrophic injuries or even death.

Recently, reports indicate a UPS driver double parked his vehicle on a busy city street to drop off a package. In the moments it took for him to exit the truck and return, a teenager rear-ended the delivery vehicle because he did not realize it was stopped. The young man suffered extensive spinal injuries and is still not walking.

In another incident, a semi-truck driver pulled off a freeway ramp to get a few hours of shut-eye. An older man on his way to work failed to see the truck and sideswiped it - flipping his own vehicle. He died at the scene.

If you have questions about a truck accident and would like to speak with a truck accident attorney about your rights and options call the Texas truck accident attorneys at the Baumgartner Law Firm for a no obligation consultation.

The truck driving industry is fraught with dangers and problems compounded by lower profit margins and greater competition. Poorly maintained equipment, unprofessional drivers and questionable industry tactics are but a few of the challenges that have the potential to impact the driving public at large.

In addition, an often hidden hazard in the trucking industry is an improperly loaded truck. In these instances, cargo has a tendency to shift and this can adversely affect the trajectory of a tractor trailer causing a number of scenarios.

For instance, in one case improperly loaded material shifted when a truck took a highway curve too quickly and the tractor trailer overturned. The driver was thrown from the vehicle and later died from injuries he sustained. The driver was not responsible for loading the material on the truck - and the accident remains under investigation while blame can be determined.

Recently, the Baumgartner Law Firm handled a semi truck accident case where a big rig rolled over and a passenger was seriously injured, in the case we sued both the driver and the company who loaded the semi truck.

Another example of an improperly loaded truck is one that has been overloaded. An overloaded truck can cause the tires to burst, the vehicle to roll over, difficulty in bringing the truck to a stop or causing the brakes to fail altogether, and jackknifing. Too, an overloaded truck may not be able to maneuver up a steep incline.

As you can tell, an improperly loaded truck - one that is under or overloaded or one in which the load has not been secured correctly - can lead to deadly accidents. This is just one more reason to give semi-trucks a lot of room on the open road.

Continue reading "Houston Area Loading Accidents" »

Injury and fatality accidents that are the result of a semi or other big truck in the act of 'backing-up' are simply much more common than people realize.

In one recent incident a package delivery worker backed over a woman as she crossed the roadway in front of a busy airline terminal. In another case, a garbage hauler failed to see a resident as he was backing up his truck and - again - the homeowner was killed instantly as a result.

Of course, the responsibility lay with the driver (and person in control) of the vehicle but these horrifying accidents carry with them a warning for pedestrians across the country. Simply put - maintain a healthy vigilance when you are in the area of motor vehicles (cars and trucks alike) Even if they appear to be moving slowly a sudden and unexpected movement could result in your injury or even death if you do not behave with caution.

There are really two problems with large trucks backing up. First, the drivers tend to believe that there are less concerns for the persons around them because a truck that is backing up is moving at much slower speeds than if they were traveling forward on a roadway.

This tends to lull everyone into a false sense of safety. Whether a truck is moving backward slowly or forward quickly - pedestrians have little time to react when the vehicle is moving towards them - and the same is true for the driver.

In addition, even all the mirrors in the world do not guarantee that drivers will see everything behind them - in time to react appropriately. There are bound to be valuable seconds of time in which the walker is in a blind spot.

Safety equipment such as rear monitors can be installed for as little as $100 and in my opinion should be installed on all tractor-trailers on the road today as an after market item.

Move cautiously around any type of truck in the act of backing up. Give them lots of room and make sure they can see you at all times.

Continue reading "Loading Accidents Can Be Prevented " »