EXPERIENCED ST. LOUIS TRUCK ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS
Missouri truck accident lawyer Robert A. Strauss is well aware of the dangers of traveling the roads and highways next to an increased number of tractor-trailer trucks. Missouri highways are full of an ever increasing number of these huge vehicles. All of us as drivers or passengers can often feel intimidated by these big rigs passing at high speeds on either side of your vehicle.
DANGEROUSLY CLOSE
It is not uncommon that these tractor-trailer drivers, in an effort to maintain their schedule, will drive perilously close to the rear of our cars or trucks. These actions can lead to devastating collisions. Common sense would tell that passenger vehicles do not stand a chance against these huge, loaded eighteen wheel trucks. When a Missouri truck accident occurs, the injuries suffered by occupants of the smaller car, truck or motorcycle can be serious and even life threatening. These injuries can change the lives of their victims and their victims’ families.
THE FACTS
Truck and bus accidents account for many serious collisions on Missouri’s highways. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, in the year 2007, large trucks, like tractor-trailers, accounted for 4 percent of all registered vehicles. However, large trucks accounted for 8 percent of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes in the year 2008. In fact, in 2008, 380,000 large trucks were involved in traffic crashes in the United States. A total of 4,229 people died and an additional 90,000 were injured in these crashes and accidents. For more information related to these figures see this document.
FEDERAL SAFETY RULE PUT IN PLACE
In order to insure the safety of motor vehicle operators on our highways, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and Department of Transportation have put in place numerous rules designed to reduce the chances of having an accident involving a tractor-trailer or other large truck. For example, there are hours of service rules governing the amount of time a tractor-trailer driver may drive before being required to rest; there are rules prohibiting a sick or ill driver from operating a commercial motor vehicle; there are requirements for drug and alcohol tests for tractor-trailer drivers; and, there are rules governing the use of safety warning devices a driver must use when his tractor-trailer is disabled. Many of these rules can be viewed in detail at www.fmcsa.dot.gov.
NOT ENOUGH
Despite the rules in place to make the operation of commercial trucks like tractor-trailers safer, collisions involving these vehicles are all too common. Anyone who has driven Highway 70, I-44 or Highway 55 in Missouri is all too familiar with the overuse of tractor-trailer activity. On the highways of America, the statistics do not lie. In 2004, the National Center for Statistics & Analysis performed a Large Truck and Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Study. The data showed that in two vehicle crashes the action of the truck driver was the cause in 29% of the cases. The Study found that the reasons for these accidents included truck driver fatigue, drug use, poor driver decision (such as traveling too fast) and poor driver recognition.
EXPERIENCED INJURY LAWYER
When an accident involving a tractor-trailer or truck leads to serious bodily injury or worse, the death of a loved one, the victim or victim’s family needs an experienced Missouri injury attorney to go up against the trucking company. Missouri semi truck accident lawyer Robert A. Strauss is familiar with the various federal and state regulations governing motor carriers like tractor-trailers. Was the collision due to basic driver negligence such as speeding, driving too fast for conditions or the failure to yield? Or was the Missouri eighteen wheeler crash due to a violation of the applicable safety regulations governing the operation or maintenance of the truck? Sometimes the driver’s employer may be held responsible and liable for the actions of the driver and violations of these safety rules. Under certain circumstances a motor carrier and its driver may even be liable for punitive damages. It takes an experienced St. Louis truck accident lawyer to identify when these rules may come into play and when they most benefit you as a victim of a Missouri truck crash.
NO FEE IF NO RECOVERY
If you have been injured in a truck accident contact attorney Robert A. Strauss for a free consultation. Your claim will be handled on a No Fee if No Recovery basis. If you would like to discuss your claim with Mr. Strauss, please email or call toll free at (800) 991-8688. He handles cases in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Jefferson County, St. Francois County, Franklin County, Washington County, Lincoln County, Madison County, Kansas City, Jackson County, Greene County and any other county or city within the State of Missouri.