Hi! My name is Sam, and I started this blog to help other injured people. Before you start reading, let me tell you a little about myself. Ten years ago, I slipped on a slice of fruit in a grocery store. My leg slid out from under me, and in a freak twist, it was rendered useless. I could no longer work and struggled with intense pain every day. Luckily, I found an accident and injury attorney who was able to get me the compensation I needed to cover my medical bills and my lost time at work. However, while I waited for the settlement to come through, I had to get creative physically and financially. This blog is dedicated to anyone who is in that limbo position. I hope the posts here help you decide what to do while you wait for the results of your trial.
You see the giant vehicles speed by when you are on the highway and may even occasionally have to make room when you meet a semi truck at an intersection. However, if you are like most drivers, you have no idea just how dangerous it can be to be sharing the highway with semi trucks every day. As the driver of a passenger vehicle, it is a good idea to get to know the true risks by taking a look at some of the facts and statistics associated with sharing the road with big trucks.
1. Truckers are often physically running on fumes. - Between rushing to meet driving deadlines and general loss of sleep from being on the road, truck drivers are often driving without having enough sleep to be fully rested. Furthermore, it is possible that as much as one-third of truck drivers have some form of sleep apnea. As a driver sharing the road with these commercial drivers who may be short on rest, it is crucial that you stay alert to signs that they are actually too tired to be driving or even falling asleep behind the wheel. If you suspect something is up, put in a call to the local authorities right away.
2. Drugs and alcohol are a dangerous factor in the commercial driving industry. - While there are many great truck drivers on the road that would never use drugs and alcohol while driving, drug and alcohol use is a huge problem in the commercial driving industry. In one study, half of the drivers asked said they had used alcohol while driving and 30 percent admitted to amphetamine use as well. So potentially, there is a risk of you coming across a truck driver who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol on the roadway.
3. Big truck accidents are a major cause of vehicular fatalities in crashes. - There is no doubt about it: when you pair a regular passenger vehicle alongside a big truck in an accident, the driver of the smaller vehicle is bound to sustain more damages and injury. But, what you may not know is that fatality rates are incredibly high when it comes to big truck accidents involving passenger vehicles. In 2014, there were 3,660 people who died in large truck crashes and 68 percent of these deaths were passenger vehicle occupants. For this reason, it is crucial that you stay focused even more than usual when you are sharing the roadway with larger vehicles.
If you have been involved in an accident, contact The Jaklitsch Law Group or a similar firm.
Share7 June 2016
