Item: Flaxman Law Group
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Why Are Truck Accident Rates Dropping?

Published on: March 18, 2011 | By Flaxman Law Group

According to both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and The American Trucking Association (ATA), fatal truck accidents have declined as much as 14% through 2009. The improved safety of the industry can be attributed to many things, according to the ATA:

1) Better driver training. Truck carriers are improving driver training and driver training courses are improving at schools across the country, stressing things such as driver safety, defensive driving, and other similar topics which help reduce fatal truck accidents. Most industry experts agree that today’s drivers receive more training and better-quality safety training than drivers of years past.

2) Lower truck highway speeds, which are mostly self-imposed. Many truck drivers are slowing down. Thanks to government regulations and a greater awareness among carriers that safety is good business, there is less pressure on drivers to deliver by deadline at any cost. Since speeding is considered a major contributor to most Florida car accidents and truck accidents – not to mention traffic accidents nationwide – slower speeds mean safer highways.

3) Improved truck safety systems. Systems such as roll–stability, GPS, lane-departure warning, and collision-avoidance systems are increasingly being installed in new commercial trucks. Manufacturers have been aggressively researching and developing new safety devices over the past five years, which are designed to help prevent serious accidents. These technologies are being implemented more often, helping to avert disaster, although the ATA has argued that better incentives would make implementing newer technologies more universal.

4) Improved regulations. The past five years have seen growing awareness about Florida truck accidents and US truck accidents in general. States and the federal government have passed legislation aimed at making streets safer. For example, last year all commercial truck drivers were banned from texting while driving. Better regulations and enforcement reduce the instances of violations and improve safety in the industry.

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What Else Can be Done to Reduce Florida Truck Accident Rates?

Published on: March 16, 2011 | By Flaxman Law Group

According to both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and The American Trucking Association (ATA), fatal truck accident rates continue to drop, as do personal injuries resulting from truck accidents. In 2009, there were 1.17 fatalities involving trucks per 100 million driven miles, the lowest rate since 1975. According to the NHTSA, there were 3 380 truck accident fatalities across the US in 2009, compared with 2 245 in 2008.

According to The American Trucking Association, statistics show that the trucking industry is getting safer, but agree that more can be done to improve overall safety. For example, the ATA is currently asking the government to allow programs which give incentives to truck companies that install safety technology. Tax incentives and other incentives, the ATA argues, would encourage carriers to install the latest technology that can help prevent accidents. Some of this technology, for example, creates alerts when truck drivers drive too fast or drive too long without taking breaks. This alerts carriers when drivers break the rules and makes it harder to circumvent federal rules which are designed to make trucking safer.

The ATA also recommends creating a national clearinghouse to streamline blood alcohol and drug test results. According to the organization, this would help coordinate information, so that drivers with poor records could not simply move to another state in order to avoid career problems in their home state. A national clearinghouse, according to the ATA, would help the industry track drivers with drug and alcohol problems, offer better treatment, and help catch repeat offenders.

Further, the ATA recommends advanced notification systems to target drivers with problems. Current systems, according to experts, allow drivers with repeat offenses and repeat problems to find themselves on the road again and again. Drivers and carriers sometimes go to great lengths to ensure that drivers remain on the road. Advanced notification systems, the ATA argues, could help alert carriers and authorities when a driver has multiple near-misses, multiple accidents, or other problems. These problems could then be addressed before the driver is allowed to return to the road.

Florida, too, could make changes to help make trucking safer in the state. Legislation is already proposed to ban texting and driving, which could help prevent Florida car accidents involving trucks caused by distracted drivers. As well, Florida could work on legislation which could help support federal efforts to prevent Florida truck accidents and accidents across the country.

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Statistics Suggest That Florida Truck Accident Numbers Will Not Decline

Published on: February 18, 2011 | By Flaxman Law Group

According to new statistics released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 2010 saw more than 500 000 commercial trucks and large trucks involved in accidents across the country. More than 100 000 individuals suffered serious injuries as a result of these crashes, which also claimed more than 5000 loves. The statistics represent an increase over 2009, when only 3200 deaths were attributed to collisions involving commercial trucks and large trucks.

Experts predict that the number of Florida truck accidents and national truck accidents will continue to rise, in part due to increased demand for truck transport. Industry experts estimate that 20% more trucks will be on the roads by 2012 when compared with today.

Florida car accidents involving trucks cause devastating injuries to passengers and entire families. Due to the size and force of large trucks and commercial vehicles, collisions between these large vehicles and passenger vehicles usually results in fatalities for the occupants of the smaller car. Survivors of such accidents often face serious injuries. Many Florida spinal cord injury patients and brain injury patients sustain their injuries through traffic accidents.

Unfortunately, although Florida laws and insurance providers are designed to help victims recover, in many cases injury victims involved in a Florida truck accident find that recovering for lost income and medical costs is very challenging. In cases where a commercial truck is involved, especially, there may be multiple liable parties, including the carrier, truck driver, truck manufacturer, the owner of the products transported in the truck, the city where the accident occurred, and other parties. Determining liability often becomes difficult as each party tries to shield itself. A good Florida personal injury attorney is often needed to assist the injury victim navigate the legal aspects of such a case.

Due to the increase in truck accidents, many groups are calling for new laws which would require improved truck safety. Although there already exist many federal laws regarding speed, hours of service, and other issues which affect truck driver safety, more can be done to help enforce these laws and to implement new regulations which would keep unsafe drivers off the roads.

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Seat Belt Use Helps Prevent Fatal Florida Truck Accidents

Published on: January 31, 2011 | By Flaxman Law Group

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA), commercial truck drivers are using safety belts more than ever before – an important precaution that can help prevent Florida workers compensation suits as well as fatal Florida truck accidents. According to the FMCSA 2009 Safety Belt Usage by Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Drivers Survey, 74% of surveyed commercial truck drivers used seat belts on 2009. This represents a 9% increase over the 2007-2009 period.

According to the survey, passengers and other occupants of commercial trucks have a 61% usage rate when it comes to seat belts. The FMCSA 2009 Safety Belt Usage by Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Drivers Survey surveyed 20,818 commercial drivers and 1,628 occupants of commercial vehicles across 827 sites across the US. According to the findings, safety belt use is higher in states that enforce primary belt use laws. States with secondary belt use laws have a seat belt usage of 67% among CMV drivers while states with primary belt use laws have a usage rate of 78%. Further, the FMCSA 2009 Safety Belt Usage by Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Drivers Survey found that seat belt use among drivers and occupants with national or regional fleets is higher than the rates among independent owner-operators.

According to the FMCSA 2009 Safety Belt Usage by Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Drivers Survey, there are also regional differences in the way seat belts are used. The survey found that commercial drivers and passengers were most likely to wear seat belts in the West, where usage rates were 79%, compared with just 64% in the Northeast. Southern states had a 75% usage rate while the Midwest had a 68% rate.

Safety belt use is a major concern for the FMCSA. The organization hosts contests and encourages awareness programs to ensure that drivers buckle up. In many cases, seat belt use can help prevent a fatal Florida truck accident. Without a seat belt, a driver in an accident can be thrown from the vehicle or may be tossed about inside the truck. Without a seat belt, these injuries are likely to result in serious Florida brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and potentially fatalities. Seat belts restrain the driver in the event of an accident and help to protect the driver from impact.

The FMCSA has faced a number of challenges over the years in trying to enforce seat belt use. There are many myths about seat belts among commercial drivers. For example, some drivers erroneously believe that in the event of a Florida truck rollover, a safety belt can prevent them from escaping the truck and can actually contribute to fatalities. Statistics have proven that it is not the case. The safest place for a truck driver in most accidents is in the cabin, securely fastened by a safety belt.

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Florida Truck Rollovers are a Common and Deadly Traffic Hazard

Published on: December 27, 2010 | By Flaxman Law Group

According to a report published by the Florida Department of Transportation, 50% of Florida truck accident fatalities involving heavy trucks take place because a truck has rolled over. In fact, the report points to Florida rollover accidents as a leading hazard on Florida roads. The trucks were disproportionately involved in multi-vehicle accidents, but the heavy trucks were at fault only about 30% of the time, according to the Florida Department of Transportation report.

The report published by the Florida Department of Transportation concluded that heavy trucks were more likely to be at fault in Florida car accidents involving rear end collisions as well as in off the road and intersection collisions. In 28% of Florida car accidents involving heavy trucks, side and rear underrides were blamed for the fatalities.

In cases where car defects (other than Florida tire defects) were involved, more than half of the defects belonged to the heavy trucks rather than to the passenger vehicles involved in the collisions. This means that heavy trucks are disproportionately affected by defects, since heavy trucks only make up about 17% of the vehicles involved in the accidents studied by the Florida Department of Transportation.

The report by the Florida Department of Transportation also considers the ways that alcohol and drugs, road conditions, and driver age affect Florida truck accidents. The full report is more than 500 pages long and provides a unique glimpse into the Florida truck accident issue. The full report can be viewed by visiting the Transportation Research Board Web.

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Thank Safe Truckers This Week for Working to Prevent Florida Trucking Accidents

Published on: September 24, 2010 | By Flaxman Law Group

This week is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, organized in part by the American Trucking Association (ATA). This is a good week to appreciate the safe truckers on our roads – the truck drivers who work to help prevent Florida car accidents and truck accidents by driving safely and responsibly. Events have been held by trucking associations in every state to mark the week.

In celebration of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, the ATA has released some fascinating facts and statistics about our nation’s truckers:

1) In America, there are over 3.4 million professional truckers at work, driving more than 431 billion miles on our streets.

2) In 2008, truck drivers delivered 68.8% of the total US freight, which is about 10.2 billion tons of freight.

3) The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that trucking accidents have decreased by 20% between 2008 and 2009 and fatal truck accidents are at an all-time low after declining four years in a row. While Florida trucking accident rates do tend to be higher than the national average in some years, the overall downward trend is certainly good news.

4) Fatality rates for truck occupants decreased 26% in 2009. New laws may be helping, according to some industry experts. Since 2004, when Hours of Service regulations were introduced, the overall fatalities in truck-related accidents has decreased 33%.

5) Truck drivers drive long distances. Regional truck drivers drive 48, 000 miles per year and long haul drivers drive an average of 100, 000 to 110, 000 miles per year.

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Florida Trucking Accident Facts

Published on: September 20, 2010 | By Flaxman Law Group

Public consumer groups dedicated to making our streets safer often speak out against Florida car accidents involving trucks. Advocacy groups, often organized by families of people who have lost their lives to Florida truck accidents, point out that large trucks are harder to control, more dangerous when they share the road with much smaller passenger vehicles, and are more difficult to stop suddenly in traffic. According to Road Safe America, an 80,000 pound tractor trailer traveling at 70 miles per hour has a similar impact in a collision as a passenger vehicle traveling at 360 miles an hour.

Across America, over 400, 000 commercial trucks and large trucks are involved in trucking accidents annually. These truck accidents resulted in more than 90, 000 injuries and 4, 200 deaths in 2008 alone. Florida trucking accidents also have a high fatality rate and often result in severe, permanent injuries, such as Florida brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations, and serious burn injuries.

Many people feel very safe beside big trucks on the road because they do not realize the devastation that trucks can cause. Many of the statistics released about truck accidents in Florida and in the US also seem innocuous. For example, only 12% of traffic fatalities are attributed to truck accidents, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As well, the media has reported in recent years that the number of fatal; truck accidents has dropped somewhat. While this is a positive step forward, other statistics suggest that there is no room for complacency:

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Understanding the Most Risky Roads for Florida Truck Accidents

Published on: August 16, 2010 | By Flaxman Law Group

According to the website The Daily Beast, Florida is home to the three most dangerous and deadly highways in the nation. In fact, the website ranks the I-95 as the most deadly road in the US, due to the high number of fatal Florida trucking accidents and other traffic accidents on this particular road. The Orlando Business Journal reports that Florida’s I-4 is also among the deadliest in the nation, with more fatal Florida car accidents and serious accidents than most other roads in the country.

The Daily Beast and The Orlando Business Journal compiled their data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to The Daily Beast, between 2004 and 2008, the 100 days where most car accidents and truck accidents take place are in June, July, and August, making this season the most dangerous for drivers. During these three months between 2004 and 2008, 50,765 fatal traffic accidents took place. While highway fatal accidents have been decreasing nationally over the past five years, the summer months still usually bring a sharp spike in Florida truck accidents and car accidents.

The I-95 in Florida was dubbed by researchers as the deadliest highway in the nation because between 2004 and 2008, 662 fatal Florida car accidents and truck accidents took place over the 382.15 m stretch that the I-95 covers. The 132.39 mile I-4 in Florida saw 209 fatal Florida truck accidents and car accidents in the same period. The 470.88 miles of the I-75 saw 536 fatal Florida traffic accidents between 2004 and 2008.

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Florida Truck Accident Statistics

Published on: July 19, 2010 | By Flaxman Law Group

Since Florida has many ports, it also has many commercial trucks. Trucks move cargo from the port areas through the rest of the nation. Unfortunately, a large number of trucks on the roads also means a higher risk of Florida car accidents involving trucks. According to the statistics released by The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT):

1) More than 500, 000 truck accidents occur annually across the country. In 2008, there were 11,500 Florida trucking accidents. These accidents lead to 290 fatalities and more than 6,400 injuries. Medium trucks with four rear tires accounted for 72 fatal accidents and 2,596 injuries that year. Heavy trucks contributed 77 fatalities and 1,939 injuries. Tractor-trailers accounted for 145 fatalities and 1,867 injuries.

2) Each year, commercial truck accidents result in about 5,000 fatalities across the nation. In 2008, 4,229 people in the US died in trucking accidents.

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