Semi-Truck Accidents

Thousands of people are killed every year in large truck or semi-truck crashes. Because these accidents are so serious, there are special laws and regulations governing the safety of semi-trucks in an effort to help prevent such accidents. For instance, there are safety standards governing the operation of these trucks, the ways in which hazardous cargo may be carried, the qualifications of drivers, and others. In addition, law enforcement agencies pursue strategies designed to stop aggressive truck drivers on the road. But even if trucks meet the safety standards and drivers are normally responsible, accidents can occur as a result of driver fatigue or distraction. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration uses various programs to reduce these accidents, including on-site safety compliance reviews, roadside inspections of vehicles and drivers, and traffic stops of vehicles operating in an unsafe manner. If you’ve been in an accident with a semi-truck, information about the truck’s and the driver’s safety history, which has been collected by these agencies, should be obtained. The information in those reports, along with the facts of the accident itself, could prove critical in a lawsuit for injuries sustained in an accident with a semi truck.