Garland, TX Truck Accident Lawyer

The highways and roads in and around Garland see a constant flow of commercial truck traffic, ranging from local delivery vehicles to massive 18-wheelers traveling cross-country. When one of these vehicles is involved in a crash, the results are likely to be catastrophic. Because of their massive size, commercial trucks that collide with passenger vehicles are likely to cause devastating injuries, permanent disabilities, or wrongful death.

After being involved in truck wrecks, victims may suffer consequences that can last a lifetime. They deserve to be compensated for the harm they have suffered, including the financial losses they have experienced and the personal and emotional impact of their injuries. At Jerry D. Andrews, P.C., our attorney stands up for truck accident victims, working to hold negligent truck drivers, trucking companies, or other parties accountable.

Why Truck Accidents Are So Dangerous

A fully loaded commercial truck may weigh 80,000 pounds, which is 20 to 30 times the weight of a passenger car. When a vehicle of that size collides with a car, SUV, or pickup truck, the people in the smaller vehicle will absorb the brunt of the impact. They will be likely to suffer catastrophic injuries as a result.

Large trucks require much more distance to stop than passenger vehicles. When traveling at a high speed on a highway, an 18-wheeler may need the length of nearly two football fields to come to a complete stop. When a hazard appears, a truck driver will need to be able to act quickly, but if there are factors that affect their reaction times, they will be more likely to collide with other vehicles. The height of commercial trucks also increases the risk of rollovers, or underride crashes may occur in which a smaller vehicle slides beneath a truck's trailer.

Driver Fatigue Leading to Truck Crashes

Truck drivers face pressure to meet tight deadlines, and the nature of their jobs requires them to spend long periods behind the wheel on a daily basis. In many cases, they will need to drive during overnight and early morning shifts. These conditions can lead to fatigue, which can affect a driver's ability to react quickly while also impairing their coordination and their awareness of what is happening on the road around them. When truck drivers experience extreme fatigue, they could fall asleep at the wheel without warning.

To address the risks of fatigue, regulations have been put in place to limit the amount of time that truck drivers can work per day and per week. These hours-of-service regulations are strict, and they require drivers to take breaks and get sleep between shifts.

Unfortunately, violations of hours-of-service rules are common. Some drivers may falsify their logbooks to conceal the fact that they have exceeded the legal limits on the number of hours they can drive. In some cases, trucking companies may encourage drivers to continue driving when they are fatigued. When these drivers and companies are responsible for causing truck wrecks, our lawyer can help ensure that they will be held liable for the harm done to victims.

Other Truck Driver Violations That Can Lead to Truck Accidents

Fatigue is not the only way a truck driver's conduct can put others at risk. Commercial drivers are required to follow traffic laws and other regulations, and violations of those rules can lead to truck wrecks. Our attorney can help identify the causes of a truck accident, which may include:

• Speeding and Aggressive Driving: Speeding in a commercial truck can be especially dangerous due to the size of these vehicles and the stopping distance that is needed. Truck drivers who violate speed limits or engage in aggressive maneuvers will be more likely to lose control and collide with other vehicles.
• Distracted Driving: Commercial truck drivers may use cell phones while driving to make calls, send text messages, or engage in other activities. They may also be distracted by the use of radios, eating and drinking, or a variety of other factors. Even if a truck driver takes their attention away from the road for a moment, they may not have enough time to react to changing conditions and avoid an accident.
• Driving Under the Influence: The legal limit for blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for commercial drivers is 0.04 percent, which is half the standard legal limit for people in other types of vehicles. Despite the risks of intoxicated driving, some truck drivers may drink and drive, or they may use other substances that can lead to impairment. The use of illegal stimulants such as cocaine or methamphetamine is common among truck drivers, and certain types of prescription medications may also affect a driver's ability to operate a commercial vehicle safely.
• Failure to Properly Inspect a Commercial Vehicle: Truck drivers are required to inspect their vehicles before each trip and report any defects or safety concerns. When drivers skip inspections or do not report mechanical problems, a truck may break down and cause a crash.