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TRUCKING & SEMI ACCIDENTS l Frequently Asked Questions
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"Contact an Iowa truck injury lawyer representing clients in Council Bluffs, Iowa today to schedule your initial consultation." |
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General Information about Accidents Involving Tractor Trailers
In 2006, commercial vehicles registered in the United States totaled 107,943,782*. Although truck drivers exercise above average safety precautions, no one is immune from the dangers of weather, road hazards, or the actions of other drivers, even truck drivers. The government, with the cooperation of trucking companies, has made great strides in reducing the accidents involving commercial vehicles, and accidents have decreased by 3.4% between 2005 and 2006. Nationally, commercial trucks accounted for only 11.7% of all fatalities in motor vehicle accidents, and only 4.1% of all injuries. Even so, there were still 140,473 crashes involving commercial trucks in 2006. These caused nearly 5,000 fatalities and 86,000 injuries. In Iowa alone, there were 1,579 incidents with 74 deaths and 1,999 injuries. There are various causes for these, and an experienced Trucking Accident Lawyer is knowledgeable in helping you with all of the intricacies when you have been in an accident that involves a tractor trailer. |
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[Missouri had 4,289 accidents with 155 deaths and 2,309 injuries. For Kansas, 1475 69 692, Nebraska 994 34 574, Illinois 6317 159 3677. Minnesota 229363 1024. For input for other state content from http://ai.volpe.dot.gov/CrashProfile/st_overview.ASP?StCd=MN Compare motor vehicles at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/facts-research/facts-figures/analysis-statistics/cmvfacts.htm ]
*2006 is the most recent data available from the U. S. DOT statistic site.
Commercial trucks are more likely to be involved in serious accidents, mainly because of their size. Truck drivers have special licenses due to the increased dangers they face on the road. The truck driver's visibility is much smaller than passenger vehicles, which slows their reaction time in case of an emergency, and their tires and brakes behave differently from those of passenger vehicles. The accidents that involve these commercial trucks are more likely to cause the more serious injuries. Many of these accidents not only include broken bones, they may also result in disabilities, including paralysis, loss of limbs, spinal cord injuries, and brain injuries. If the truck driver or his or her vehicle is at fault, there could be several reasons behind it. These may include the insufficient truck driver training, driver fatigue, faulty maintenance, visibility difficulties (blind spots), improper loads, poor safety equipment and more.
Truck drivers have to adhere to more regulations than passenger vehicles because of the dangers they face on the road. To ensure they are following all these regulations, the government has set up various checkpoints, such as the weigh stations along our nation's highways. The most stringent laws are those that require truck drivers to have a log that records their hours. They are only allowed to drive a certain length of time without taking a period of time to rest and sleep. Driver fatigue is a common cause in accidents where the driver is at fault. This is why their logs are often audited to watch for falsified records. The driver is not solely responsible for the safety of his or her truck. The companies that own the trucks, often called "carriers", are responsible for ensuring that their drivers and the vehicles are safe.
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| If you would like to schedule a initial consultation contact an Iowa semi accident attorney, representing clients in Council Bluffs, Iowa at the Shanks Law Firm. Give us a call at (712) 322-2600 or complete our inquiry form. |
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© MMVIII Shanks Law Firm. All Rights Reserved Address: 409 West Broadway, Council Bluffs, Iowa 51503 Toll Free: (888) 322-2608
Tel: (712) 322-2600 Fax: (712) 323-5577 Email: info@shankslaw.info |
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Council Bluffs, Iowa Attorney practicing in Iowa and Nebraska in Semi Truck, Dump Truck, Tank Truck, Concrete Transport Truck, Tractor - Trailer Accidents. Lawyers at the Shanks Law Firm are dedicated to serve their clients in Iowa, including the cities of Council Bluffs, Glenwood, Red Oak, Sioux City, Atlantic, Sidney, Logan, Onawa, Clarinda, and Harlan and the communities that make up Pottawattamie, Mills, Montgomery, Cass, Fremont, Woodbury, Harrison, Monona, Page, Shelby counties. In Nebraska, including Omaha, Blair, Fremont, North Platte, South Sioux City and the communities that make up Douglas, Washington, Lincoln and Dakota counties. |
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