The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has recently released the results of its Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS), which analyzes the causes of large truck accidents across the country. The study found that driver fatigue, distracted driving, and poor truck maintenance were among the leading causes of big truck accidents. Although the study was national in scope, the same issues are causing Miami Springs truck collisions.
The LTCCS study examined close to 1000 traffic accidents involving large trucks. According to the study, big truck accidents cause 5000 fatalities each year, and the nearly 500,000 semi truck collisions that take place in the US each year can be reduced through prevention.
According to the latest LTCCS study, the majority of big truck accidents examined are related to safety violations. Researchers of the study concluded that roughly 66% of commercial trucks have at least one documented violation. In many cases, the violation has to do with something significant, such as the braking system or the tires.
According to the LTCCS study, however, the biggest concern for motorists is driver fatigue. The study’s authors concluded that driver fatigue was the most common cause of larger truck accidents. In 2011, the FMCSA released new Hours-Of-Service which are intended to ensure that drivers get more rest. However, it is not yet known what impact the new rules will have on road safety. As well, as many experts have noted, Hours-Of-Service rules only apply to commercial truck drivers. Most motorists are not restricted by such rules and many Miami Springs car accidents may be occurring due to drivers of passenger vehicles who are too tired to drive safely. Miami Springs personal injury attorneys may pursue legal action against drivers of passenger vehicles who do not drive safely, but such drivers may still be causing a number of traffic accidents.
According to the LTCCS study, another major cause of truck accidents involving 18-wheelers, semis, and other large trucks is driver distraction. While a federal ban prevents commercial drivers from texting and driving, there are still many potential distractions in a truck cab. Drivers may easily be distracted by hands-free devices, PDAs, tablets, mp3 players, CB radios, laptops, and other devices. As mobile devices get smaller and more omnipresent, they can cause a greater distraction. Unfortunately, there is currently no practical way to ban the ever-growing number of distractions available to drivers.
Many Miami Springs personal injury attorneys and law enforcement professionals also point out that it is very hard to enforce existing no-texting laws for truck drivers. Mobile devices and cell phones can be kept in a driver’s lap, making it hard for law enforcement officers to catch drivers who are texting. In most cases, it is not until after a Miami Springs traffic accident that driver distraction is uncovered when police check phone and text message logs on a driver’s mobile device.
Of course, another key problem is that while commercial truck drivers are not allowed to text and drive, there is no texting ban in Florida for drivers of passenger cars. This means that local drivers can easily cause Miami Springs pedestrian accidents and truck accidents unless they willingly put mobile devices away when driving.
Have you been injured in a Miami Springs truck accident? If so, there are Florida laws designed to protect you. To find out about these laws and about the options available in your specific situation, schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with the Flaxman Law Group today.