California Personal Injury Blog - Tractor-Trailer Accidents

Can we prevent another fatal crash on Bay Bridge?

Claude Wyle — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:50:36 GMT

Most of us have heard the tragic news of the big rig driver who failed to negotiate the recently installed “S” curves in the Bay Bridge. A truck driver from Hayward died on Monday after he lost control on that portion of the bridge; he died when his truck crashed through the barrier on the upper section onto Yerba Buena Island 200-feet below.

In the wake of this latest automobile accident—there have been about 40 crashes on the "S" curve section since it opened in September—Caltrans plans to install a sign that shows drivers how fast they're going. The speed limit on the temporary span now drops from 50 miles per hour to 35 miles per hour. According to the CHP, excessive speed was blamed for the fatal crash.

Reducing the speed is certainly a step in the right direction, but is more to be done? As truck accident attorneys, our goal is to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities on our roadways each year, so we are thinking of other methods that could make the “S” curves safer. One additional measure might be so-called “rumble” dots—the dots across the road that alert drivers to dangerous conditions in the road. Increased signage would also help. In the meantime, please be alert as you travel the Bay Bridge.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Claude Wyle

Road Terrors Can Be Preventable

Shanley Monroe — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 01:33:44 GMT

If you’ve ever watched a pendulum swing for a long time, you know what it’s like to be mesmerized by the repetitive motion. You stare at the same movement and slowly begin to lose consciousness. This feeling is also common for those who spend a lot of time behind the wheel. When you drive for an extended period of time, especially if you make a living behind the wheel of a truck, the constant flow of trees, fields, cars and road can be a mind-numbing experience.

The stress, tension, and fatigue of constant driving all add up for those who make a living on the road. Driving conditions are often poor for overworked drivers. However, add to that the unsafe practices allowed or encouraged by many trucking companies and you have a recipe for roadway disasters. Truck safety is a serious problem in the United States, where 14% of vehicular fatalities involve trucks. This year in California alone there were nearly 400 truck-related deaths. An increased attention to trucking safety regulations would make the roads substantially safer for all drivers.

Currently, many trucking companies violate safety standards in order to cut costs. Some practices include overloading shipments, hiring unqualified drivers at cheaper wages, ignoring general maintenance on tires, wheels, and brakes, and encouraging drivers to travel faster and spend more than the allowed number of hours driving. This results in over 4,000 fatalities and 80.000 injuries each year from truck accidents alone.

In an investigation of the trucking industry, the American Association for Justice determined that, of the 9 million trucks on U.S. roadways, over 211,000 fail to meet the minimally expected standards of safety. To address this serious problem, safety regulations were reinforced in June 2009 by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. The CVSA conducted inspections, of which they notified trucking companies in advance, and still found over 22% of the trucks unfit for safe operation. About half of the unsafe trucks had brake problems. Alarmingly, the industry regarded these results as a success, citing a “deep commitment to the safety of all motorists”.

It is unrealistic to think that we will be able to completely eliminate truck accidents, but according to these investigations, many are easily preventable if companies implement simple safety measures. The trucking industry must be held accountable for putting the public at risk through carelessness and disregard for safety. Better safety standards and a strict enforcement of those standards are needed to promote public safety and keep the death toll at a minimum.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shanley Monroe

I-5 Big Rig Wreck Spills Diesel

Todd Slaughter — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:08:21 GMT

REDDING, Calif. - The Recorded Searchlight reported that a tractor trailer rig carrying rolls of printing paper wrecked in the southbound lanes of Interstate 5 near the Vollmers exit this morning. Neither the driver nor passenger was injured.

The truck apparently lost control during the recent rains and struck the raised concrete divider, rupturing its fuel tank and spilling approximately 100 gallons of diesel fuel onto the roadway. The California Highway Patrol indicated that approximately 25% of the fuel was contained.

This wreck occurred in an area commonly referred to as the Sacramento River Canyon. I-5 courses along the river in this area for over thirty miles. Drainage from I-5 is directly into the river.

Hopefully, the fuel involved in this spill dissipated sufficiently in the surrounding soils and did not reach the water in significant concentrations. Several years ago, this same area of the river was poisoned when a derailed train car spilled herbacide directly into the waters, killing most of the river's world-class fishery.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Todd Slaughter

A Chico Man is Badly Injured After Collision

Amber Wheat — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:02:59 GMT

James Pasquale works for the Chico Area Recreation Department. His truck became wedged under the rear trailer of a parked big rig. He was trapped inside for nearly forty-five minutes. He is now at Enloe Medical Center in critical condition.

More and more often I am seeing instances of drivers for one reason or another drifting out of their lanes and into parked tractor-trailers. Now tractor-trailers are allowed to park on the side of the roads in certain instances. When they do park to the side, they become a huge hazard. Because they are so big and the brakes are so strong, when somebody plows into them, they move very little and the velocity is taken out on the car doing the moving.

It is important to be aware of the other drivers around you, but many people don’t watch for obstructions like vehicles parked to the side of the road. My firm has two new cases that I know of where an illegally parked vehicle was a factor in causing the collision.

It is understandable that people have blowouts, mechanical problems, and emergencies that force them to the side of the road. When that happens be sure to pull as far away from the traffic as you possibly can. And I know it drains the battery, but it really is important to put your hazard lights on, for your safety and the safety of everyone driving on the road.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an automobile accident involving a big rig, please call us. Our firm has handled cases against trucking companies before and we are well equipped to take on the trucking companies.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Amber Wheat

Collision Illustrates Dangers of Bikes & Big Rigs

David Rosenthal — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:01:09 GMT

Safety considerations come in all shapes and sizes, especially when using public highways. Take for instance two vehicles that frequent the roadways, bikes and big rigs. The consequences of a meeting of the two were tragic Thursday when an elderly Yuba City man riding a mountain bike on Highway 99 in Sutter County was killed in a collision with a big rig.

The conflicts that often occur on roadways between motorists and bicycle riders are well documented. Under California Vehicle Code §21200, bicyclists have all the same rights and are subject to the same rules of the road as any other vehicle. However, the drivers of cars and trucks often complain that bike riders don't follow the rules. For their part, bicyclists feel that motorists don't give them adequate respect. One thing for certain is that the bike rider is usually the biggest loser in a collision due to their exposure.

Big rigs and motorists have also had their run ins. Obviously, trucks pose special problems because of their size, needing more time to stop and more room to turn. Truckers rightfully complain that many car drivers are in too much of a hurry to be considerate of their need for space, while many a car driver has had a bad experience with a tractor trailer operated by a bully or a road weary trucker. When it comes to an auto versus big rig collision, the auto is usually the loser because of its size and weight disadvantage.

Safety on our highways is everyone's responsibility. That includes accounting for the unique characterstics of bikes and big rigs.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Rosenthal

Commercial Truck Accidents Cause Injury in Separate Accidents

Walton Barber, LLP — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:55:58 GMT

One person was killed and three injured yesterday in separate accidents involving commercial trucks. In North County, a 45-year-old La Mesa man died when his car crashed into the back of a contractor’s truck that was parked in the median of I-5 near Camp Pendleton. In the Kearny Mesa area, three people were injured when their car slammed into the back of a slow moving semi-tractor trailer. One of the passengers suffered serious injury.

Commercial trucks are an invaluable part of this nation's economy, but with the benefits comes the drawbacks. The Department of Transportation statistics report that in 2005 there were almost 5000 fatalities arising from commercial truck accidents. Research shows, however, that in more than 80% of those accidents it was not the truck driver's fault.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Walton Barber, LLP

Big Rig Truck Crashes Through Backyard Fence Killing Man Cleaning Pool

Walton Barber, LLP — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:11:00 GMT

The driver of a big rig truck crashed through the backyard fence of an El Cajon home on Monday, killing the homeowner who was cleaning his pool. His 2-year-old daughter was standing nearby but avoided injury.

According to reports, the commercial truck traveling westbound on Dehesa Road when the driver of a minivan ran a red light on northbound Granite Hills driver and collided with the truck. The collision caused the truck to strike two other vehicles before plowing through the backyard fence.

The victim, Kevin Vicary, was cleaning his backyard pool at the time with his daughter nearby and his wife inside the home. He was reported to have been knocked into the pool by the truck, which also plunged into the water, spilling 80 gallons of diesel fuel into the water.

Questions remain as to exactly what happened, and why the big rig was unable to stop before hitting the back yard fence.

In addition to his wife and daughter, Mr. Vicary leaves behind two other children.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Walton Barber, LLP

Semi-Truck Driver Killed in Truck Accident on San Diego Freeway

Chrissie Cole — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 23:33:39 GMT

The driver of a semi-truck was killed in a truck accident, Thursday, after her big rig flipped over on San Diego (405) Freeway.

The accident occurred on the northbound side of the 405 Freeway at Long Beach Freeway Interchange. At this time the accident is under investigation and few details about the accident have been released.

According to witnesses, the semi-truck swerved while driving in the right lane. The truck got wrapped around a freeway sign before flipping over and landing on top of a Volkswagen. At this time officials are unsure what caused the driver to swerve the vehicle.

Two people traveling in the Volkswagen suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Brinks Truck Overturns in Bay Point

Shannon Weidemann — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 19:01:29 GMT

Dense fog may have been responsible for a Brinks Truck overturning in Bay Point this morning. The trucking accident happened on Highway 4. The fog reduced visibility to 100 to 200 feet early today.

The accident was reported to the CHP at 6:51 a.m. east of Bailey Road, according to patrol logs. There were no serious injuries, but fire crews were called to rescue one person trapped in the truck.
The armored car "took the ramp too fast," CHP officer Scott Yox said.

The Brinks armored vehicle did not loose it's payload during the accident. The accident is being investigated by the California Highway Patrol. No other vehicles were involved in the crash.

If you would like to read more about trucking accidents, please visit InjuryBoard's Trucking Accident Information page.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

San Francisco Bound Gambling Bus Crash With Truck; Kills Driver

Claude Wyle — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:10:57 GMT

What started out as a peaceful bus ride to the Indian Casino for a bit of gambling, has turned ugly, with a bus crashing head-on into a pick up truck, and killing the driver of the pick-up. CHP investigators are still investigating last Sunday night's fatal bus crash, which killed one person and caused serious personal injuries for several more. There is talk of a side swipe and of dangerous passing, however what is clear to this bus crash attorneyis that this bus was difficult to control. Was the bus speeding? Did the bus driver have the chance to avoid this crash? Had any of the drivers involved been drinking? How many seconds before the impact did each of the drivers have to avoid this deadly bus crash? These are all questions that a bus crash attorney will have to ask if he or she is retained by the passengers of this bus or by the family of the man who was killed when the bus smashed into the truck.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Mass Transit Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Claude Wyle