Houston Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

Recent reports indicate that a local area man was arrested for allegedly dumping huge quantities of hazardous wastes from a tanker truck into the city of Houston storm drains.

Reports further indicate that the man arrested was allegedly employed by a local area company. The investigation over allegations of azygos waste dumping began several months ago after reports that a detention pond had been contaminated. Reportedly the police investigation concluded that thousands of gallons of hazardous waste were being improperly dumped in the Houston area.

It remains to be seen what charges if any are brought against the company that allegedly employed the tanker truck driver. Estimates of damage to the storm drain waters are in excess of half of a million dollars.

Houston Police Department environmental investigations unit and Harris County precinct number one constables were involved in the investigation of the alleged improper dumping.

Continue reading "Truck Driver Accused of Dumping Hazardous Waste in Houston" »

Even more safety features are being installed in some of the more reputable semi-truck fleets across the country. For instance, a reputable trucking company has added dashboard monitors that are tied to a front collision warning system.
If a vehicle cuts too closely in front of the semi the mechanism automatically takes away the driver's control of the throttle thereby automatically reducing the truck's speed. If the other vehicle gets even closer - then this safety device actually applies the brakes for the driver!

In addition to the front collision warning system - the cabs themselves are now equipped with a rollover stability feature and lane departure warnings. The warning system works with cameras that are mounted around the vehicle - if the rig does not remain within the middle of a lane or veers too close to the lines that divide the highway. Finally, the company has added what is termed 'adaptive cruise control'.

Other features have been added to increase the driver's comfort on long rides. These include satellite radio and bigger, more comfortable chairs as well as windows with 'wider vantage points and automatically adjustable mirrors'.

No doubt, anything that can be done to make the driver more comfortable is actually a safety feature as well.

While all of these are great add-ons that have shown to decrease accidents through authentic road tests - we urge the trucking industry to continue to search for ways to cut down the number of injuries and fatalities that result from semi-truck accidents.

Continue reading "Truck Accidents Prevented by Technology" »

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is a valuable national organization dedicated to keeping the public informed about all things related to traffic safety - from product recalls to safe driving tips and more. Their website is easy to locate - and is so chocked full of interesting and timely information that I would recommend you make it a 'favorite' site to visit on a regular basis if you are interested in 18 wheeler accidents, trucking or motor vehicle safety.

Consider some of the following topics recently covered by the NHTSA.

There is continued concern about 15 passenger van accidents. They have been involved in a number of recent and high profile personal injury and wrongful death fatality accidents that have called passenger vulnerability into question.

In addition, the site offers regular reminders of safe driving habits for all weather conditions.

Too, you may find out more quickly about a vehicle recall on this site instead of waiting for notification by mail. In fact, the website will explain how to get these types of notifications sent directly to your email or phone.

And if you are interested in the latest findings of annual vehicle crash tests - and which vehicles have been deemed the safest because of them - all of this data is available at this site.

Finally, as new information on a wealth of topics becomes available - older articles are saved and can be accessed through the search menu.

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" »

Figures show revenue estimates produced by the trucking industry are 255.5 billion a year. Of this figure 'for hire' or 'common carriers trucking' companies generated revenue estimated at about 100 billion.

Truckers carry more cargo that air carriers.

Private truck fleets generated revenue estimated at 121 billion. Fleet operating ratio is 95.2, which means for every dollar in revenue the trucking company has a cost of 95.2 cents leaving them with a meager profit of about a nickel per dollar.

The truck driver as an employees or "independent contractor driver" makes about 30.3 cents per mile with an income estimate of 32-50k.

It costs about 40 cents per mile to operate a semi or eighty bucks per hour according to reliable estimates.

Trucks consume over 50 billion gallons of fuel hauling goods each year.

These stats further confirm the contention that the trucking industry is completely entwined in the American economy and I offer that were it to falter or meet its demise would be to strike a catastrophic blow for the US.

The Baumgartner law firm is deeply entrenched in truck accident litigation and we see the results of 18-wheeler accidents up close and personal. Semi truck accidents account for anywhere from 9% to 12% of traffic deaths annually across the country.

These scenes and their aftermath are heart wrenching and haunting. But it will not prevent truckers from hitting the road so what must be done is to continue our quest to prevent truck accidents instead.

18-wheeler manufacturers now offer semi automatic transmissions (manual gearboxes with automated gear change) as well as automatic transmissions.

Despite newer technologies in semi truck design driving a semi is still a physically demanding job. Driving for long stretches at a time, loading and unloading cargo, making deliveries and operating the rig are all reasons a person should think about their decision to be an over the road hauler.

Probably the most important consideration is that the work of driving a 18-wheeler can be monotonous, boring and lonely. Some truckers love the profession and enjoy the time on the road. However, hours of driving at a time require focused attention and can often lead to distractedness - a dangerous situation for everyone on the road.

Some of the better known truck manufacturers include Peterbilt, Mack, and Kenworth.
The average new big rig costs around $100,000.

Other interesting facts about semi trucks -things you maybe were not aware of - all the semis in the U.S. use between 1 and 4 million gallons of diesel fuel each year as they cross the country from coast to coast and border to border.

They only average 5 to 7 miles per gallon, though, when pulling a full load. How much fuel can they carry when filled up? Most over-the-road (OTR, or 'long haul') semis mount a 150 gallon tank on either side, for a capacity of just under 300 gallons (the tanks don't fill all the way to the top and as a sobering aside it is easier to understand that semis can have a tendency to become fireballs in a collision with the gas tank placed in a somewhat unprotected spot).

Continue reading "Technology Makes Truck Driving Easier" »

Technology to prevent or reduce truck accidents has come a long way in the last 10 years. One such technological advancement is the antilock braking system.

In anti-lock braking system is a computerized system that keeps eight trucks wheels from completely locking up during heartbreak application.

The ABS is an additional breaking element in other words it is in addition to a proximal break. The ABS does not decrease or increase normal braking capacity it only activates when the wheels are about to lock up.

ASB systems contain sensors that detect when a truck's wheel may lock up; the system then activates and prevents the wheels from locking up.

ABS systems are particularly helpful on wet roadways and have been shown to reduce jackknife and skid accidents.

Even if an ABS is only on the tractor or only on the trailer it's still provides the truck driver with more control over the vehicle during hard braking applications.

Continue reading "Antilock braking systems on 18-wheelers" »

This Friday, the federal motor carrier safety administration issued a new rule that would apply to truck companies with serious patterns of hours of service violations.

The rule had been proposed a long time ago. Recently however incidents such as the 11 people that were killed in one truck accident, have brought us this new truck safety rule.

Professional truck drivers under the regulations can only drive for 11 hours or less on a shift and cannot be on duty for more than 14 hours. These rules were important to protect the public from accidents caused by tired drivers.

Given the crunch in the economy, high fuel prices and ever increasing fixed costs for truckers many violate the hours of service rules for monetary reasons.

With the price of GPS devices dropping monthly, there is no reason why all trucks could not be equipped with such devices. This rule clearly is a step in the right direction and according to the FMCSA almost 6000 interstate trucking companies will be using GPS recorders after the first year of the regulation.

Using technology for truck accident safety only makes sense. Not only will a trucking company be able to implement a better safety program with these devises and will benefit because the cost of the safety program will drop.

The new rule will go into effect on June 12, 2012. While some criticize the new rule as not strong enough, others are mad about the extra regulation.

There are approximately 750,000 trucking companies in America. Each year thousands of families are torn apart in auto accidents and truck accidents. With the size difference between an 18-wheeler and a passenger vehicle shouldn't we error on the side of safety?

Continue reading "FMCSA -- new rule requiring onboard computers for some truck companies" »

Tractor-trailer trucks carry 73 percent of the value and 71 percent of the weight of all U. S. cargo. Approximately one in 20 workers is directly or indirectly employed in the trucking industry.

It is also a time of challenge for truck drivers, with diesel fuel at near highs and fixed costs going up, some rates for cargo are down and the independent trucker is feeling the squeeze.

While it cannot be denied that the trucking industry is a vital component of the U.S. economy, the catastrophic results wrought from accidents in which they play a part cannot also be understated.

The sheer size of these vehicles - which average in weight over 10,000 pounds in comparison to today's automobiles which often come in under 3500 pounds - all but ensures that collisions in which they are involved will take lives and that is the bottom line of this blog.

My goal is to examine all aspects of semi-truck safety issues - with particular attention to its impact in the State of Texas - remaining ever mindful of what an car accident can do in a split second of time to victims lives or that of their families.

As we continue over the weeks and months we will regularly return to the breadth of legal concerns that are inherent in dangers of semi-truck wrecks.

The intent of my blog will always be of resource to the Texas public- allowing him or her to maneuver more safely around semi-trucks on our highways and roads or understand how to negotiate a truck accident lawsuit or an unwieldy legal system, that at times and ever more frequently in Texas, is not kind to personal injury victims or their families.

Continue reading "Trucking is a vital part of our economy" »