Truck Accidents

How Evidence of Trucker Log Book Fraud Can Help Your Truck Crash Case

Published on: September 5, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

Trucker log book fraud and truck accidents

Commercial truck drivers are an essential part of the nation’s economy, transporting materials and goods to and from points both near and far. In doing so, the average trucker drives between 2,000 and 3,000 miles each week. That works out to a lot of time on the road. Some truck drivers may spend even more time behind the wheel due to a per-mile—rather than hourly—pay system, unrealistic employer expectations, and companies that incentivize completing tasks ahead of schedule.

Sound exhausting? It is—and it can lead to deadly accidents. Research shows that driving while fatigued can be just as impairing as driving under the influence of alcohol. And when the driver of an up-to-80,000-pound truck dozes off behind the wheel, the results can be absolutely catastrophic.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration limits how many hours truckers can drive—which is now a maximum of 70 hours during an 8-day period—and requires them to keep daily logs of their activities. However, truck operators often find ways to falsify these logs to stay on the road longer, such as making a second, “clean” set of logs. While the introduction of electronic logging devices, or ELDs, has made it slightly more difficult to create fraudulent logs, drivers can still unfairly and unsafely game the system.

Tired Truckers Can Cause Catastrophic Crashes

Published on: August 22, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

truck driver fatigue and injury compensation Driving when you’re tired is a regular part of life for many people in Georgia, but it can lead to serious accidents. When the fatigued driver in question is behind the wheel of an up-to-80,000-pound commercial truck, the consequences can be catastrophic or even deadly.

Research shows that driving while drowsy can be as impairing as alcohol, resulting in poor driving performance that includes a dangerous lack of alertness, an increased likelihood

of distraction, and slowed response times.

Trucking Companies May Share Liability for Accidents Caused by Dangerous Truck Drivers

Published on: June 17, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

Large truck accidents can leave victims seriously injured, unable to work, and facing mounting debt. If you or someone you love was hurt in a crash caused by a dangerous commercial driver, you may be entitled to compensation from the at-fault trucker, as well as the trucking company that employs him or her.

Crashes involving commercial trucks and passenger vehicles are often extremely serious, with passenger vehicle drivers and occupants sustaining the brunt of the injuries and damages. Though truckers might have made careless or dangerous mistakes behind the wheel, they often lack sufficient insurance coverage or assets to fully compensate victims for their losses.

Trucking company liability in crashes Fortunately, thanks to vicarious liability laws, if a truck driver causes a crash while carrying out employment duties, you may also be able to hold the transportation company accountable.

Truck Accidents and Hazardous Cargo Are a Dangerous Combination

Published on: May 21, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

Motorists might not realize that many of the large commercial trucks sharing the roads with them are transporting dangerous cargo, such as explosives, gases, radioactive materials, flammable liquids or solids, corrosive substances, or other hazardous materials.

Though the trucks, trucking companies, and drivers who transport these substances must adhere to extremely strict state and federal safety regulations, accidents can—and do—still occur.

In fact, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, hazardous cargo is a factor in approximately 4 percent of fatal large truck crashes and roughly 2 percent of large truck injury accidents each year.

Understanding Truck Crashes on Rural Roads

Published on: April 8, 2019 | By Van Sant Law

Large commercial trucks transport goods to and from points all across the country. In doing so, drivers of these massive vehicles spend much of their time on rural roads.

Though one might assume that it’s crowded urban areas where big rigs and 18-wheelers are at the greatest risk of being involved in an accident, research shows the exact opposite is true.

Not only do most accidents involving large trucks occur in rural areas, but 61 percent of rural road truck crashes result in fatalities, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).