Item: Flaxman Law Group
Rating: 5
Author: Clara Barman

Why Head-On Truck Crashes are so Deadly

Published on: June 2, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

Head-on collisions are considered to be among the most dangerous types of truck accidents in Hollywood and Florida. These types of crashes usually occur when one vehicle is traveling the wrong way along a highway or street. These collisions can occur due to illegal U-turns, wrong way situations, or situations where a driver leaves their lane due to fatigue or inebriation.

There are a few reasons why head-on collisions involving commercial trucks can be so deadly:

1) These truck crashes in Hollywood and Florida often happen at full speed.

Unlike parking lot accidents and intersection accidents, where trucks and other vehicles are slowing down, head-on collisions often involve two vehicles traveling at top speed. This is especially the case with wrong way accidents or U-turn accidents, where a truck or other driver may be speeding or may be driving at highway speed. When two vehicles traveling at high speeds collide, the force of impact is immense and can cause severe injuries or fatalities.

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What You Need to Know About Rear-End Crashes

Published on: May 25, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

Rear end car accidents are very frightening. One minute you are stopped at a stoplight and the next minute a distracted driver crashes into the rear of your vehicle. These types of truck accidents in Hollywood and Florida can cause whiplash, concussions, fractures, and other serious injuries.

Unfortunately, when the other driver is the driver of a tractor-trailer, big rig, or large commercial truck, the results can be even more devastating. If a large truck carrying a heavy load crashes into the rear of your vehicle, the force of the crash can push you forward into oncoming traffic or into another vehicle. The force of the truck collision may be enough to pitch you forward, causing severe or even life-threatening head injuries and other serious permanent injuries.

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Truck Driver Error and Trucking Collisions

Published on: May 7, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

According to the truck industry, the majority of truck accidents in Homestead and other communities occur due to passenger car drivers. In fact, in many car and truck accidents, the car drivers blamed. Even though it’s true that truck drivers have extensive training and have to be carefully tested to keep and maintain their commercial licenses, truck drivers aren’t immune to human error.

In fact, there are many errors that truck drivers make that can lead to collisions:

1) Poor health choices.

Fatigued driving, drugged driving, and drunk driving involving truck drivers in Homestead and other communities can and does happen. Even though there are strict rules preventing truck drivers from engaging in dangerous behavior, it does not prevent drivers from making poor choices. Some drivers have sleep apnea or sleep disorders or other conditions that they fail to disclose. Some drivers drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

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Tanker Collisions can Lead to Rollovers and Spilled Cargo

Published on: April 30, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

Tankers transport gasoline, gases, and liquids as well as substances like cement and even bio-hazardous materials. We rely on tankers to transport chemicals as well as everyday substances we need. People who live in colder climates, for example, may rely on tankers to get heating oil for their homes. The construction industry relies on tankers for cement.

Tanker Trucks Pose Unique Dangers on Our Roads

While tankers are important, they can also be deadly on our roads. These types of commercial trucks have a number of special hazards, when compared with flatbed trucks or tractor trailers:

The liquids in tankers can move around inside the truck, shifting the center of balance.
Tankers have a high center of gravity, making them subject to rollovers.
Tankers can be used to transport hazardous materials, including flammable materials, bio-hazardous materials, and even radioactive materials. These products can become deadly in a collision.
Tankers have large blind spots.
Tankers may make frequent stops, especially if they are delivering fuel or other products.
Tanker cargo can leak.

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Jackknife Truck Accidents in Hollywood and Florida

Published on: March 27, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

Big rigs and tractor trailers have trailers attached to the cabs where drivers sit. The trailers can be removed or attached as needed. Jackknife accidents happen when the trailers swing outwards during a crash, causing the trailers to be at a 90-angle from the rest of the vehicle.

The danger with jackknife accidents in Hollywood and the rest of Florida is that the trailer can hit other vehicles or objects before it stops moving, potentially causing a lot of damage. It is not uncommon for considerable property damage or crushing injuries to happen because of jackknife collisions. If a truck is speeding when it jackknifes, a rollover accident is very likely. Jackknifing exerts a lot of force, which can lead to serious injuries and even multiple-vehicle accidents.

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Flatbed Truck Accidents in Hollywood and Florida

Published on: March 24, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

Flatbed trucks are commercial trucks with a weight of at least 10,000 pounds (not including cargo or passengers). In a tractor-trailer, the cargo is hitched to the cab and the cab can be completely separated from the trailer carrying the cargo. This is not the case with the flatbed truck. With a flatbed truck, the flatbed is open and is attached directly and permanently to the truck’s chassis.

Flatbed trucks are often used to transport large, heavy, and unwieldy cargo. For example, these vehicles are commonly used to transport manufactured homes, lumber, building materials, vehicles, logs, and other large objects. One of the dangers with this is that the cargo can shift during an impact in an accident and the cargo can become loose or can shift forward and back, causing damage to the cab guards and striking the driver.

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Ways that Technology has Helped Prevent Truck Accidents and Trucking Injuries

Published on: March 12, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

At the Omnitracs Outlook User Conference last month, professionals in the trucking industry gathered together to discuss the ways that they have used technology to comply with the Federal Motor Carriers Association’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program. According to participants, technology played a major role in promoting safety, especially when truck carriers and fleets used:

1) Automated driver logs.

Rather than asking drivers to maintain logs, automated logs take care of the paperwork. They provide a more accurate view of how long truckers drive and the rest stops they take. Traditional driver logs can be easily falsified or can come into question during legal action. Automated driver logs take driver error out of the equation and ensure that the logs are always up to date.

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Will Future Truck Design Be More Fuel-Efficient and Safer?

Published on: March 10, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

Truck makers are creating future commercial vehicles that will be safer, more aerodynamic, and more fuel-efficient. Walmart, for example, unveiled plans for its WAVE (Walmart Advanced Vehicle Experience) in early 2014. The trucks are more aerodynamic to be more fuel efficient. One of the more unusual features is that truckers in this vehicle are placed in the center of the cab for maximum efficiency. Walmart has not commented whether this might increase safety by changing how much of the road drivers can see.

Freightliner is another manufacturer investing in future truck designs. Among the features that future trucks will have are smart technology, lighter construction materials, and better mapping of expected fuel usage. Mercedes-Benz, on the other hand, is investing more heavily in autonomous commercial vehicles.

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Enforcing Trucking Rules

Published on: February 24, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

Truck drivers need to follow many federal rules. These rules are designed to help prevent trucking collisions and to keep you safe. For example, truck drivers are required by law to take rest breaks to ensure that they are not driving dangerously tired. They must also keep track of their rest stops, the visual inspections of their trucks, and their cargo. There are limits as to the amount of cargo they can carry and the amount of miles they can drive each day. Truck drivers also must pass health checkups, written tests, and practical exams to get their license.

The problem with these regulations is that in order for them to work they must be enforced. When truck drivers or carriers ignore the rules, trucking collisions in Hollywood and Florida occur, injuring innocent people. Unfortunately, truck drivers and companies have financial incentives to break the rules. When trucks are overloaded with cargo or when truck drivers stay on the road longer than they are allowed to, the cost of the transport declines. Unfortunately, so does the safety of the delivery.

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New Trucking Technology Promises to Prevent Collisions

Published on: February 17, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

New trucking technology is always being developed in an effort to curb trucking collisions in Miami and other communities. Technology ranges from new roadway systems to new safety systems for trucks.

Daimler Trucks North America has recently rolled out a new safety system called Detroit Assurance. Detroit Assurance uses Active Brake Assist and Adaptive Cruise Control to prevent crashes and save fuel. Radars allow a truck driver to maintain a safe following distance from any vehicle automatically, reducing the amount of decision-making needed and reducing the margin of error to prevent crashes.

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