The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently released the results of its annual Safety Belt Usage by CMV Drivers Survey. Based on data collected in 2009, the survey revealed that 74 percent of commercial motor vehicle drivers are now wearing their safety belts regularly – a 9 percent rise from 2007. The survey examined the habits of 20,818 drivers of commercial trucks and buses who stopped at 217 different checkpoints throughout the United States.
The survey also found a number of interesting facts related to safety belt use. Truck drivers and other commercial drivers were 11 percent more likely to wear their safety belts and ensure passengers were wearing safety belts in states with primary safety belt laws. In these states, 78 percent of commercial drivers wore their safety belts, compared with only 67 percent of drivers in states without primary safety belt laws.
Also, 78 percent of drivers employed by regional or national trucking companies wore their safety belts, but only 64 percent of self-employed truck drivers did. Drivers in the western U.S. were most likely to wear their safety belts: 79 percent of them were buckled up, while in the Northeast only 64 percent of drivers went buckled.
Wearing a safety belt is one of the simplest things a driver of any vehicle can do in order to improve safety and reduce the chances of serious injury in a crash. Unfortunately, while seat belts can and do save lives, they cannot prevent all injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured in a collision with a large truck, please get in touch with a Missouri truck crash attorney at Page Law. Our experienced lawyers will examine the details of your case and help you hold negligent parties accountable. Call Page Law today at (314) 322-8515 for a free and confidential consultation.
Claims and lawsuits relating to truck accidents in Missouri can be complex. Many people who are injured or have lost a loved one in a tractor trailer crash may be wondering what the difference is between a truck accident claim and a Missouri truck accident lawsuit.
While a claim is typically filed with the insurance company, a truck accident lawsuit is filed against the truck driver and the trucking company, or anyone else who may be involved. To understand important differences between a claim and a lawsuit and why contacting an attorney to file a lawsuit on your behalf may be beneficial, please view the following video:
A tractor-trailer driver recently hit a pole south of Centralia in an accident, reports a recent article in the Columbia Tribune. The truck ran off the road, hit the utility pole, and ended up in the center of Route Z near Old Highway 124. The Missouri trucking crash occurred at about six o’clock in the morning. Other than the utility pole, the accident caused no property damage.
The utility pole with which the semi truck collided was knocked down, but power company employees were able to repair the downed utility pole quickly, and no one in the area reported an electrical outage. The truck was carrying a load of electrical transformers, but these were still secured to the truck when emergency personnel arrived. The driver was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated for the injuries he sustained in the accident and then released. His injuries were minor.
Fire department officials who investigated the Missouri single truck accident and assisted the driver did not say what factors may have played a part in the crash. It is unknown whether the driver was speeding, for example.
Country roads pose an especially high risk to truck drivers and the motorists who share these roads with tractor-trailers. The often narrow, winding roads can deceive a driver into believing the truck is not going too fast until it is too late to slow down. Hazards like wildlife and water can also play a part in Missouri tractor-trailer accidents.
If you have been injured in a truck accident, please contact the experienced Missouri truck accident attorneys at Page Law. Our skilled lawyers will examine the details of your case and help you win the compensation you need from the parties responsible for your injuries and associated damages. Call Page Law today at (314) 322-8515 to schedule a free and confidential consultation.
The U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has proposed a temporary exemption from Hours of Service rules for truckers carrying anhydrous ammonia, as long as the trucker is carrying the ammonia to a farm retailer or an end user located within 100 miles of the ammonia’s distribution point. The proposed exemption would extend an exemption granted on May 21, 2010.
Hours of Service rules are intended to prevent truck drivers from becoming overly fatigued by driving for too long. Fatigued or sleepy truck drivers are the cause of many truck accidents in Missouri and throughout the U.S. each year, some of them fatal. Normally, FMCSA strictly enforces Hours of Service rules in order to ensure the safety of both truck drivers and the motorists with whom large trucks share the road.
The proposed exemption, however, takes into account that during the growing season, farmers often need large quantities of fertilizer or other chemicals at precisely the right times in order to produce the best possible crop. If no driver is available to deliver anhydrous ammonia to farmers on time, the farmer’s crops could suffer. FMCSA’s proposed exemption attempts to balance the needs of farmers for fertilizer against the needs of truck drivers for proper rest.
The public may comment on the proposed exemption until August 13, 2010. Comments may be mailed to Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation, Room W-12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 20590-0001. They may also be faxed to 1-202-493-2251.
If you or someone you love has suffered injury in a Missouri truck accident due to truck driver fatigue, please don’t hesitate to contact the experienced St. Louis trucker fatigue accident attorneys at Page Law. Our skilled lawyers will help you understand your legal rights and help you obtain compensation for pain and suffering, medical bills, loss of wages, and other damages. Call (314) 322-8515 today to schedule a free consultation.
The driver of a dump truck that collided with a delivery van passed away in the hospital a week after the Kansas City vehicle accident occurred, according to recent coverage by local ABC affiliate KMBC. His death is the third to arise from the truck accident in Missouri.
The dump truck and the delivery van crashed at the intersection of Truman Road and Woodland Avenue in Kansas City in the beginning of July. The driver and passenger in the van were pronounced dead at the scene. Medical personnel believe the two men died instantly. Both the driver and the passenger of the dump truck were hospitalized immediately after the accident, having both suffered critical injuries. These injuries overcame the driver a week later, resulting in his death. The passenger remains hospitalized in serious condition.
Based on eyewitness accounts of the Missouri tractor trailer accident, police currently believe that the driver of the dump truck was speeding and ran a red light at the intersection. A witness who had tried to help the dump truck’s passenger immediately after the crash described it as happening “in a matter of seconds.”
Although we frequently think of St. Louis truck accidents occurring on crowded freeways, they can also occur on city streets. Trucks traveling in the city still need additional room to stop and to maneuver, and the city’s close quarters can make driving even more difficult. Truck drivers who do not pay proper attention to their surroundings while driving in the city may cause accidents – some of which, unfortunately, prove fatal.
If you’ve lost a loved one due to a truck driver’s carelessness while driving, please don’t hesitate to contact the experienced Missouri truck accident wrongful death attorneys at Page Law today. Our legal team will review the details of your case and protect your rights as we fight to hold negligent parties accountable for their actions. Call Page Law today at (314) 322-8515 for a free and confidential consultation.
