The Dangers Of Commercial Trucking

Our law firm stands up for injured motorists.

Tractor-trailers, tankers and other big commercial trucks are a common sight on the roads in Fairfield County. These trucks serve an important economic purpose, but they also create a hazard on the road. When big rigs are involved in crashes, motorists and passengers can get seriously hurt. That's why commercial truck drivers are held to high legal standards.

When truckers and trucking companies don't meet those standards, we hold them accountable. Attorney Jeremy Vishno, founder of the Vishno Law Firm, is an experienced truck accident lawyer. He's been standing up to the trucking companies and their insurance companies for decades, and he's committed to making our roads safer and helping injured people get the compensation they need.

What makes commercial trucks so dangerous?

Any vehicle can cause injury to others, but commercial trucks are especially dangerous. Here are a few factors that make truck accidents even more dangerous than crashes involving two cars.

• Size: Put simply, commercial trucks are much, much bigger than passenger cars. A fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh 80,000 pounds. Even smaller commercial vehicles, like dump trucks and box trucks, are several times larger than passenger cars. When bigger vehicles are involved in crashes, there's much more force on impact, which means the injuries are often severe.
• Handling and Visibility: The size and design of commercial trucks makes them more difficult to handle than passenger cars. Trucks are harder to stop, harder to turn and harder to navigate. That's why commercial truckers are required to have extensive training to make sure they know how to compensate for those shortcomings.
• Driver Inattention and Fatigue: Commercial truck drivers spend their entire working days behind the wheel. They often work long hours with limited breaks. A trucker who is not awake, alert and sober can pose a serious danger to others on the road. Unfortunately, many truckers fall asleep at the wheel or engage in distracting behavior like texting or talking to a dispatcher.
• Unrealistic Delivery Schedules: Trucking companies often put profits ahead of people. They may require their truck drivers to make deliveries in an unrealistic time frame, which puts pressure on the trucker to drive recklessly. These delivery schedules may cause truckers to work through mandatory breaks and later fall asleep at the wheel, or to drive at unsafe speeds.
• Maintenance and Loading: There's a lot that can go wrong on a tractor-trailer. Loose cargo. Tire blowouts. Engine malfunctions. That's why trucking companies and truck drivers need to keep their rigs in good working order. When the maintenance or loading process is rushed, serious accidents can follow.

To guard against all of these dangers, trucking companies are required by law to properly train and supervise their drivers. They must conduct background checks to expose any history of drunk or reckless driving. They need to maintain their trucks, make sure their drivers are staying within hours-of-service regulations, and otherwise work to keep both truckers and motorists safe.

Unfortunately, that's not always the case. And when accidents do happen, trucking companies set out to reduce their own liability - which often means injured motorists are left in a tough situation. They send teams of investigators to the accident scene to collect evidence and have well-paid attorneys on their side to reduce or eliminate the amount they need to pay.

You don't have to take that treatment. Contact an experienced attorney who is committed to holding the trucking companies accountable. Call (888) 222-1688 today. The initial consultation is absolutely free, and we don't get paid until you win.