2010 February Archive
Kirk Bernard Addresses Truck Driver Inattention: Washington Tractor Trailer Accident Injures One
One person was injured in a Washington truck accident involving two tractor-trailers on the Interstate 5 near Marysville. According to a news report in the Herald Net, the accident occurred near 88th Street when one truck was slowing down for traffic ahead. The second tractor-trailer then rear-ended the slowing truck. One of the truck drivers was airlifted to a Seattle hospital. The extent of his injuries is not clear.
As a Seattle truck accident attorney, Kirk Bernard is familiar with how a majority of Washington tractor-trailer accidents are caused by truck driver negligence. The negligence usually involves speeding, distraction, inattention, impairment or fatigue. In this particular case, the accident may have involved a distraction, inattention or fatigue. As truck accident and personal injury lawyers, we also notice that these accidents occur because of mechanical failures in the trucks brought about by poor vehicle maintenance. Sometimes, illegal or improper overloading of the trucks can also cause mechanical failure.
In such instances of negligence, not only could the negligent truck driver be held liable for the accident and injuries caused, but the truck driver’s employer could also be held accountable. In this case, the other vehicle involved was also a tractor-trailer. However, most truck accidents involve a large truck and a passenger vehicle. And very often, we see that the occupants of the passenger vehicles are seriously injured or killed because of the size and weight of the large truck.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington tractor-trailer accident, please contact the experienced Seattle personal injury lawyers of The Bernard Law Group at 1-800-418-8282 or info@bernardlawgroup.com for a FREE, comprehensive and confidential consultation and case evaluation. We can also send you our FREE brochure, which has useful educational information to help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.
Source:http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100205/NEWS01/302059999/0/rss02
Truck Driver Arrested for Driving While Watching Porn on Laptop
A truck accident in New York State has made national news after the truck driver who struck and killed a woman on the Thruway was arrested for driving while watching porn on his laptop. According to a news report, the 45-year-old trucker was driving a tractor-trailer on the Thruway on “just a few hours of sleep.” New York State police say he struck a woman on the roadway who was standing outside her vehicle, which had been disabled after hitting a deer. Her injuries proved to be fatal.
An investigation later revealed that Wallace had been on duty for more than 27 hours with only four hours of sleep. Officials also found him to have been in violation of the federal Transportation Law because he was operating the big rig while keep fictitious log books. He also admitted to investigators that at the time of the fatal collision he had a laptop computer on his lap on which he was watching pornographic movies. The driver has been charged with vehicular manslaughter.
In such cases, the trucking firm can also be held liable for the victim’s wrongful death or injuries for allowing this driver to operate with false log books. An experienced Seattle truck accident attorney, in such cases, will immediately send out a notice to the trucking company to preserve the log books and all the evidence, which may be crucial to the case. Such evidence, if not requested, may be destroyed quickly.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington truck accident, please contact the experienced Washington truck accident lawyers of The Bernard Law Group at 1-800-418-8282 or info@bernardlawgroup.com for a FREE, comprehensive and confidential consultation and case evaluation. We can also send you our FREE brochure, which has useful educational information to help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.
Federal Officials Ban Texting by Truck and Bus Drivers
Federal officials have banned hand-held cell phones and texting by drivers of large commercial trucks and buses. This should serve as an effective way of preventing the dangers of distracted driving. According to a Reuters news report, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that the ban on handheld cell phones and texting while driving will take effect immediately for large truck and bus drivers. The new ban carries fines of up to $2,750. However, federal officials have not yet come up with an enforcement plan, which is key to making sure that the ban actually works.
Distracted driving on U.S. roadways has resulted in thousands of fatalities and many more injuries. The National Safety Council estimates that texting while driving causes approximately 200,000 car accidents each year. At least 24 states have issued handheld cell phone and texting bans and others are in the process of enforcing similar laws. It is absolutely important for commercial trucks that cross state boundaries to be mandated by federal law to follow these safety rules. Distracted driving, especially by a truck driver who has an 80,000-pound vehicle at his control, can be disastrous. Federal officials will hopefully find a way to enforce this law, which will certainly go a long way in keeping our roadways safer. Getting this law passed, however, is a good first step.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington tractor-trailer accident, please contact the experienced Washington truck accident lawyers of The Bernard Law Group at 1-800-418-8282 or info@bernardlawgroup.com for a FREE, comprehensive and confidential consultation and case evaluation. We can also send you our FREE brochure, which has useful educational information to help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.
Source:http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2010/01/26/106860.htm
