Expectations With That of Trucking Accidents In Mississippi

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In our lives we are responsible not only for getting tasks and responsibilities accomplished, and done so in a timely manner, but also that of getting from place-to-place in order to get them done. In order to do so we not only rely the majority of the time on our vehicles, but also that of the road itself. However, are you actually safe on the road in this day and age? When we think of the majority of auto accidents that occur on the road today we typically assume they occur at the hands of the individual driving the vehicle. However, that is not always the case, especially when large trucks are around.

What Purpose Do Trucks Really Serve?

Trucks are one portion of our world today that help not only transport necessary materials from one area to the next, but also transport that of the goods, and products that can be seen all throughout our homes, which are purchased from supermarkets, and other stores. While we rely on these vehicles to not only help transport supplies we depend on so much we also rely on them to do so while operating their vehicle properly, and safely. Unfortunately, this is not the case today in many instances.

The Facts of The Matter

Today, trucking accidents have not only significantly risen, not only within Mississippi, but all throughout the country as well. Why? From reasons ranging between fatigue to inexperience, or just negligence these accidents not only are continuing to occur, but also causing a large amount of damage to whatever comes within their path. In many cases, automobiles such as sedans, and SUVs can not only be destroyed to what looks like a crushed soda can, but the passengers inside not simply injured, but killed with one swift hit. Yet, those motor vehicle operators that do manage to survive do so with serious, and debilitating injuries that impact their quality of life and welfare presently, and for years to come.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a trucking accident and has been injured or killed you may be entitled to damages for your pain, suffering, and property damage. Make sure that you contact an experienced, and ultimately dedicated attorney immediately in order to fight for what we all truly want at the end of the day, which is that of peace of mind.

If you, or a loved one, have been injured in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, make an appointment with one of our Mississippi attorneys by calling (601) 790-1505.

 

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The High Risk of Overloaded Tractor-Trailers

A fully loaded tractor-trailer may weigh as much as forty tons making it an extremely dangerous weapon in the hands of an inexperienced or careless driver.  The massive weight of a tractor-trailer makes it less responsive and much more likely to cause serious collisions that may result in permanent debilitating injuries.  Despite the inherent risk associated with these heavy vehicles, the pressure to increase profits sometimes entices trucking companies to overload tractor-trailers.  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration promulgates regulations regarding safe loads and the maximum weight of tractor-trailers.  Tractor-trailers are subject to periodic inspection and are equipped with a data recorder that can be used to determine that a vehicle is overloaded.

There are a number of specific ways that overloading a tractor-trailer may contribute to a collision.  Many tractor-trailer accidents are caused by brake malfunction or failure.  When a tractor-trailer is overloaded it puts more stress on the brakes and creates a greater likelihood that brake will fail.  The increased weight also increases the distance that a tractor-trailer needs to stop to avoid a collision and makes it more difficult to maneuver to avoid an obstacle.  A tractor-trailer that is overloaded is also difficult to control when descending from an incline.  An overloaded truck also increases the probability of tire blowouts that play a factor in many commercial trucking accidents.

The enormous mass of an overloaded truck often causes fatal collisions or catastrophic injuries like spinal cord injuries, traumatic head injuries, broken bones, internal organ damage and amputation injuries.  The financial costs associated with medical treatment for severe injuries like these can financially cripple a family.  If the family member who is injured in a tractor-trailer collision with an overloaded truck is a primary wage earner, a personal injury recovery may be necessary for a family to maintain its standard of living.

If you or close family member is injured in a Mississippi tractor-trailer collision, the experienced trucking lawyers at Barrett Law have the experience and knowledge of trucking industry regulations and customs.  We understand the tactics used by trucking companies to avoid liability and work diligently to obtain the compensation that our trucking accident injury clients need to move past their accident.  The experienced Mississippi tractor-trailer attorneys at Barrett Law have been providing tenacious representation to trucking accident victims for over 75 years.  We provide diligent legal representation and impassioned advocacy so we invite you to call us today at 662-834-2376 to learn how we can help.

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Fog Suspected Factor in Fatal Jackson Tractor-Trailer Crash with School Bus

The community of Jackson was again shaken this week by yet another fatal accident between a school bus and tractor-trailer, which is the second such fatal crash between these two types of motor vehicles already this year.  The accident earlier this week occurred when a school bus was stopped at a stop sign on Mississippi Highway 450 and began to make a left turn.  The driver of the tractor-trailer slammed into the school bus when the bus pulled in front of the tractor-trailer while making the left turn onto U.S. Highway 61.  The driver of the tractor-trailer indicated that he tried to brake to avoid the collision but did not see the school bus until it was too late.  Law enforcement authorities have indicated that the area was impacted by heavy fog, which may have played a role in the fatal Jackson crash.

This is the second fatal accident between a tractor-trailer and school bus during the first quarter of 2011.  This tragic accident highlights a number of critical risk factors related to Mississippi motor vehicle accidents.  While school buses are relatively safe they lack seat belts and airbags so if they rollover or a passenger is ejected the injuries can be catastrophic and even fatal.  In the Jackson crash, both the bus and tractor-trailer rolled over in the collision.  Rollover collisions are particularly dangerous because they can result in head, neck and spine injuries, crush injuries as well as vehicle ejections.

In most accidents involving tractor-trailers, occupants of the other vehicle are those that are injured.  The Jackson crash was no different as a fifth grade student lost her life and eight other students were taken to the hospital including four that were airlifted.  Statistics indicate that the occupants of the other vehicle in a tractor-trailer collision are 98 percent more likely to die in an accident with a commercial truck.  Tractor-trailers are less responsive, need greater braking distance and have larger blind spot, which means that they are at greater risk for being involved in a motor vehicle collision in Mississippi.  This provides a partial explanation for why there are 500,000 tractor-trailer accidents per year in the U.S.

Tractor-trailer accidents also are more likely to cause traffic-related fatalities because of the massive size and weight of the vehicles.  A fully loaded tractor-trailer may way 80,000 pounds, which is in excess of 25 times more than a typical passenger vehicle.  The force of impact caused by the weight differential between a tractor-trailer and most other vehicle typically results in catastrophic injuries and fatalities.

When the hazard of fog is added to the risk factors related to these inherent risks involving a bus collision or commercial truck accident, the consequences are often tragic.  Most people are well aware that fog will reduce visibility and increase motor vehicle collision risk, but many do not realize that fog also impairs visual perception.  Fog reduces the color contrast between a vehicle and its background making it harder to identify the vehicle or judge speed and distance.  A driver’s ability to judge speed is impaired further by fog because drivers typical use their peripheral vision to judge speed by using other objects as reference points to judge the speed of a vehicle as it passes objects on the side of the road.  Fog impairs a driver’s ability to judge speed so drastically that a driver is often unable to distinguish between moving vehicles and vehicles that are stationary.

If you are driving in fog, you should slow down and allow more stopping distance to compensate for less visibility and impaired visual perception.  Unfortunately, many drivers in Jackson and throughout the roadways of Mississippi do not show the proper respect for foggy conditions.  If you or a family member suffers serious injury or a loved one is killed in a fog related tractor-trailer accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and loss.  Our experienced Mississippi tractor-trailer accident lawyers represent commercial trucking accident victims in Jackson and throughout Mississippi.  If you have suffered a serious commercial trucking accident, we offer a free no obligation initial consultation so that we can evaluate your case and advise you regarding your rights to compensation.

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