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

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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Truck Tire Blowouts on Hollywood Roads

Published on: January 16, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

Trucks on Hollywood and Florida roads are a part of driving in the region. In most cases, you may pass tankers, tractor trailers, and big rigs without a second thought. However, a simple drive can become scary in seconds if something goes wrong with a commercial truck sharing the road with you.

One of the scarier things that can happen is a tire blowout. Commercial trucks carry a lot of weight and sometimes that excess weight places too much pressure on the tires. The tires can get worn down or overheated, eventually bursting. In some cases, trucks can roll over sharp debris on the road, which can also cause blowouts. If you’ve ever seen strips of rubber along the side of highways, these are the remnants of tire blowouts.

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Weather, Technology, and People All Affect Trucking Industry Safety

Published on: December 26, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Trucking collisions in Hollywood and other Florida cities occur for a number of reasons, including driver error and road design. However, three things affect the trucking industry as a whole more than other factors, according to experts. These three issues are people, technology, and weather.

Technology

Technology is changing the trucking industry in a number of ways:

1) By making trucking more transparent. Electronic logs, in-cab cameras, and other devices do not rely on driver self-reporting. Instead, they make it easier for truck carriers and even authorities to see what is happening during truck transportation.

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Preventing Brake Failure

Published on: December 23, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Brake failure in trucks leads to many collisions in Miami and other cities. The frustrating thing is that in many cases these accidents are preventable. Often, brake failure can be prevented with:

1) Manufacturer and truck carrier accountability.

Manufacturers have a responsibility to create safe brakes for trucks and cars. This means designing safe brakes and monitoring the manufacturing process to ensure that the final product is safe. Manufacturers are expected to test their products to make sure that they are safe and to recall any products that may be unsafe due to flaws. When brake makers fail to take reasonable precautions to ensure their products are safe, they can be held partly liable if their product leads to mechanical failure or to a crash.

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Stay Safer Around Trucks at This Time of Year

Published on: December 4, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Additional motorists during this time of year can lead to dangerous situations, especially since many of the additional drivers on the roads during the holiday season are big rigs and tractor trailers making deliveries to customers and stores. These larger vehicles have more blind spots and some passenger car drivers may not be used to driving around larger trucks, making for a potentially hazardous combination.

To stay safe when sharing the road with commercial trucks, make sure that you:

1) Obey the speed limit.

Speeding can increase your chances of an accident by making it harder for you to stop in time to avoid a crash. If you are in a collision, speed can make your accident much worse and can lead to more serious injuries by increasing the impact of the crash.

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Winds Can Cause Trucking Collisions in Hollywood and other Cities

Published on: November 21, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Many trucking accidents are caused by driver error, mechanical failure, and road design issues in Hollywood and other Florida cities. Surprisingly, though, winds can also cause trucks to veer out of control. Earlier in November, two semi-trucks in Jacksonville were toppled off a bridge by winds. In that case, the accident caused only minor injuries and no damage to the bridge itself. In other situations, the outcome is not so good.

Professional truck drivers are taught how to drive in high winds. In some cases, winds can reach speeds higher than a truck is traveling. In cases where strong winds exist, drivers can sometimes avoid collisions by slowing down and proceeding with caution. Drivers need to pay extra attention to high winds when traveling along roads without many trees and when traveling on bridges. On bridges, the force of winds can knock a truck into the water. On roads without trees, there is no wind barrier and the wind may be enough to push the truck into another lane. At the very least, high winds in these situations can make it harder for a driver to remain in control of the vehicle.

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Get Ready for Heavier Truck Traffic

Published on: November 14, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Truck traffic tends to pick up in Miami in November and December, making trucking collisions more likely. As retailers and businesses get ready for the holiday rush, they order more shipments, many of which are delivered by truck. More customers are also ordering items for delivery at this time of year, which can also mean more trucks on the roads and in parking lots.

To reduce your risk of being in a traffic accident in Miami or your community, you will want to be aware of the increased traffic. You will also want to:

1) Maintain your vehicle. This is a good time to take your car in for a tune-up, especially if you will be traveling a great deal for the holidays or taking road trips to see friends and family.

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What Do Trucking Collisions Really Cost?

Published on: November 5, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

When calculating the costs of trucking crashes in Homestead and other cities, authorities often consider employee costs, insurance costs, and related costs. However, the expenses linked to these types of crashes can be much higher and may include:

Workers’ compensation and related work costs. Employers may need to face lost productivity and efficiency after an employee is injured in a trucking collision. If an employee is injured permanently, an employer may need to replace the worker. In cases where the accident took place during work hours, disability payments and workers’ compensation costs may also need to be factored in.

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Tips for Documenting Your Injuries After a Tractor Trailer Accident

Published on: October 22, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Protecting your interests after a collision with a big rig or tractor trailer involves documenting your injuries and the details of your accident. Documentation can help you if there is an insurance dispute or if you are sued. Good documentation can also help you if negligence played a role in your accident and you need to prove that. To properly document your injuries and collision after a tractor trailer crash in Hollywood or your community, you will want to:

1) Have a friend or family member help.

In many traffic accidents involving a commercial truck, the injuries are very serious and anyone who is injured may be rushed to the hospital. If you have been in this type of serious accident, you may lose consciousness or be in severe pain. Having a friend or family member at the hospital can help. A trust friend or family member can ask questions on your behalf, take notes about your condition, and can start the documentation process.

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Study Finds Link Between Driver Payment and Driver Fatigue

Published on: October 17, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Fatigued driving in Hollywood and other communities is a serious problem, especially among truck drivers. Truck drivers have to cover large amounts of territory as part of their jobs and operate heavy trucks that can cause catastrophic injury if drivers lose control of their vehicles or fall asleep at the wheel. According to safety experts, however, driver fatigue continues to be a significant factor in many trucking collisions in Hollywood and other communities.

In an effort to curb fatigued driving, federal rules have been established to limit the number of hours commercial drivers can stay on the road. Truck drivers must take a specific number of mandated rest breaks each week they work and must keep track of distances driven and hours rested in written logs. Drivers also trained to recognize and safely deal with fatigue on the road.

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