The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the agency that enacts safety regulations for large trucks and buses, referred to as motor carriers. FMCSA is spearheading a new national safety campaign meant to reduce crash injuries and deaths involving motor carriers.
Blind Spots
FMCSA partnered with the following to produce the video below that discusses large truck and bus blind spots: the American Bus Association, American Automobile Association and the American Trucking Associations.
These big vehicles have huge blind spots, that make it unsafe to pass them on the right. Always pass on the left, and know that you are in the blind spot until you can see the driver’s face in the truck or bus mirror.
Stop Time
It takes buses and large commercial truck longer to stop. A fully loaded 18-wheeler may take 40% longer to stop.
Vehicle weight, icy or wet roads and the topography of the road are all factors that can add to the time it takes to slow down and stop. Drivers of these vehicles have to take all of this into account when behind the wheel. For them, speeding is going too fast for the conditions, and they are generally legally responsible for causing a rear end collision. A transportation company and the owner of the freight being hauled may also be responsible, meaning they could be sued for compensation by anyone injured and the families of people who were killed.
Right Turns
These vehicles may turn slightly left before making a right turn. When a car, motorcycle or bicycle is crushed by a right-turning semitrailer or bus and someone is seriously injured or killed, specialized engineers may need to reconstruct the accident to determine who was at fault.
Attorney Eric Hageman represented the family of a woman who was riding her bike when she was run over by a right-turning truck. Eric helped the family sue the truck driver and transportation company for wrongful death. Below is an accident reconstruction video he used to prove the truck driver was at fault and win the case for the family.
After an accident involving a truck, our lawyers can help your family. Use the form on this page to contact our law firm for a free consultation.