Protecting Yourself: Texas Tops List for Truck Accidents

DALLAS, TX (AttorneyNewsWire.com) — December 11, 2009 — Drivers on Texas streets and highways should sit up straight and pay special attention when they encounter semi trucks. Among all of the 50 states, Texas alone accounted for 10.4 percent of fatal large-truck accidents in 2008, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Association’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis. In 2008, Texas police accident reports cite 350 fatal crashes involving semi-trailer trucks. Texas has become the established leader in the number of annual fatal big-rig crashes, with the vast majority of these accidents involving so-called heavy trucks weighing over 26,000 pounds.

The Texas Transportation Hub

Many characteristics of Texas itself are likely to contribute to its high semi-truck accident rate:
-Texas is the largest contiguous state.
-Texas is in the middle of North America and is crossed by parts of eight heavily used Interstate highways. Dangerous spots with frequent fatal large-truck accidents include Dallas County, I-20 between Balch Springs and Benbrook and the I-20E and I-20 intersection.
-Texas has busy sea ports like Corpus Christi, Galveston, Houston and Port Arthur through which raw materials and finished goods pass in and out via ships and big rigs.
-Texas receives cross-border heavy-truck traffic from Mexico in special border commercial zones and beyond the zones if Mexican trucks possess special permits. International truck traffic is especially heavy around the major border crossings at El Paso and Laredo, in the San Antonio region, along I-35, and heading east to Houston and the Gulf. The condition of Mexican semis may contribute to the accident rate because they are generally older and driven on rougher roads than U.S. trucks.
-Heavy trucks carry many products through Texas: agricultural goods, raw materials like petroleum products, construction materials, manufactured goods and retail stock.

Semi-Truck Drivers

Truckers do not have easy jobs and unfortunately characteristics of the industry contribute to the risk of accidents. Chronic fatigue is common because tight delivery schedules often prevent adequate rest breaks, and sleep schedules are irregular and often not in sync with normal nighttime sleeping patterns. Unsurprisingly, fatal truck accidents caused by fatigue are more common in the middle of the night. Fatigue may negatively impact a driver’s reaction time and ability to make a good snap judgment. When you are driving a 30,000 pound truck at 70 miles per hour, the inability to function at full capacity can be deadly. Finally, according to data analyzed by the CDC, about 50 percent of large-truck drivers admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel during their careers.

Minimize Chances of Colliding With a Truck

Your car is no match for a large truck. In truck-car crashes, the automobile drivers and other car passengers are over six times more likely to die than are the semi-truck driver and other occupants. As the driver of a car or other smaller vehicle, take these precautions to help avoid collision with a semi:
-Avoid cutting in front of a large truck, especially in heavy traffic, to prevent being struck from behind. If traffic slows or stops, heavy trucks take much longer to brake to a stop than lighter cars.
-Wear your seat belt to protect yourself from being ejected or thrown against the windshield. The U.S. Department of Transportation says this is the most important step to take to save yourself in a truck-car crash.
-Pay special attention to tractor-trailers’ signals and brake lights.
-Drive defensively and be aware of semi drivers’ many blind spots. If you are unable to observe the driver in his or her own mirror, he or she is also unable to see your vehicle.
-Give heavy trucks extra room when they execute wide right turns. They often need to drift left while turning in order to make enough room to complete right turns; take care not to squeeze between a right-turning truck and the curb.
-Use common sense when driving in traffic with semis. Never drink alcohol or use drugs before or while driving; avoid speeding; follow traffic laws; drive courteously and cautiously; and do not use your cell phone.

Contact an Attorney

If you are in a wreck with a large truck despite your best defensive efforts, first call the police, and secure all necessary medical and other emergency aid. Contact your insurance company and an experienced personal injury lawyer to advocate for you as soon as possible. Trucking companies are notorious for getting their legal team to the accident scene quickly to investigate while evidence and witnesses are fresh; you will want your attorney and your own insurer to have the same advantage on your behalf.

Your lawyer will play a crucial role in the complex situation that results after a semi accident in preserving important evidence, including trucking logs and records, and helping you deal effectively with the insurers and other parties involved. Above all, you may need skilled legal counsel to fight for proper compensation for serious injuries and extensive property damage.

Article provided by Michael R. De La Paz, P.C.
Visit us at www.delapazlaw.com