Have You Been Involved in a Collision with a Tractor Trailer, 18-Wheeler or other Commercial Vehicle?
Commercial truck drivers are working more hours, not less.
A new federal work rule for interstate truckers went into effect in 2004. It is supposed to decrease the hours truckers drive, and increase safety for passengers in cars. The new rule lengthens the mandatory rest period by two hours, but lets drivers stay on the road an extra hour every day. It also includes a workweek restart provision that increases allowable driving hours over a 7-day period from 60 to 77.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released the results of their survey of drivers of interstate trucks and commercial vehicles in March 2005. Since the federal rule was changed in 2004, 18-wheeler drivers said:
- 1 out of every 4 drivers are on the road more than the new daily limit of 11 hours.
- 8 out of every 10 drivers drive 25% more a week under the new restart provision.
- 1 out of every 3 drivers simply omit extra hours driven in their written logbooks.
- 15% of drivers report they doze off at the wheel at least once a month.
The odds are against you in a trucking accident.
The average commercial truck weighs 80,000 pounds or more. The typical car weighs 3,000 pounds. Odds are, if a truck and your vehicle collide, you lose.
Truck accidents cause a lot of harm. In fact, one out of eight truck accidents kill somebody. And seventy-five percent of the people injured in truck accidents are people who are not in the truck.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Study, 2000.
How We Can Help: North Carolina Trucking Accident Law Firm
Don't lose twice. If you've been injured in a truck accident, you have rights. Hiring an experienced law firm can help you recover your damages from a collision with a commercial vehicle. Our truck accident legal team consists of personal injury lawyers, case managers, and para-professionals who know the rules and regulations that apply to tractor trailer accidents. Call or contact us at 1-800-220-7321 for a free conversation about your case right now. We'll let you know our opinion about your case by the next business day.
