Most deaths in large truck accidents are suffered by drivers and passengers in the car, pickup, minivan, or SUV that collides with the truck, according to the IIHS. Since large trucks can weigh as much as 30 times more than passenger vehicles and have much higher ground clearance, truck accident statistics show passenger vehicles are at a great disadvantage when a crash occurs.

In 2009, 3,163 people lost their lives in truck crashes on U.S. roads. Seventy percent of those killed were riding in passenger vehicles at the time, and an additional 14 percent were on foot or on bicycles. Overall, however, 2009 represented an all-time low in total deaths caused by large truck crashes. The greatest gains were made in saving the lives of truck drivers; the decade prior to 2009 saw a 67 percent drop in driver deaths, versus a 37 percent drop in passenger vehicle occupant deaths.

Large truck accidents can have serious consequences. At Page Law, our knowledgeable Missouri truck accident attorneys are committed to fighting for the rights and compensation needs of those injured in truck accidents. To discuss your case with us, call us at (314) 322-8515 today for a free and confidential consultation.

The driver was charged late last month with two counts of homicide by the negligent operation of a vehicle and two counts of reckless driving causing great bodily harm. If convicted, he could receive a maximum sentence of 27 years.

The truck accident occurred in Belgium, Wisconsin. Traffic was stopped on Interstate 43 because of lane closures, and there were reportedly signs along the interstate warning about the closures at several intervals. There was also allegedly an electronic message board notifying drivers about the closures. However, in spite of those warnings, the driver purportedly rear-ended a Cadillac at approximately 70 miles per hour, causing it to overturn. The truck then struck a Ford Escape. Both the Escape and the tractor-trailer went off the side of the interstate.

Officials allege the driver had been driving longer than federal law allows, and that he fabricated entries in his log book about the amount of time he had been driving before the fatal big rig accident.

If a truck driver behaves in a reckless manner behind the wheel, they can face criminal charges, as illustrated in this story. The truck driver and the trucking company can also be held civilly liable for any damages the driver causes, which can include current and future medical expenses, property damage, pain and suffering, wrongful death, and more.

If you have been injured in an accident with a tractor-trailer in Missouri, contact the St. Louis truck accident attorneys at Page Law, LLC for a free consultation. Call us today at 1-314-488-2433 to learn more about your legal rights.

In 2005, Missouri had 173 accidents involving commercial vehicles that resulted in fatal injuries to at least one vehicle occupant. By 2009, that number decreased to 88 accidents. The number of deaths resulting from accidents involving commercial vehicles also dropped – from 205 deaths in 2005 to 89 in 2009.

Officials cite four reasons for the decrease in Missouri commercial truck accidents. First, there have been fewer crossover accidents on divided highways. Also, “rumble strips” have been installed on many Missouri highways, which help drivers to stay within their lanes. Emergency response times have improved in both St. Louis and Kansas City. Finally, officials say that fewer commercial vehicles, as well as passenger vehicles, are on the roads due to the economy.

Although Missouri wrongful death truck accidents are declining, still far too many people are injured or killed each year from commercial truck crashes. Statistics show that large trucks are much more likely to be involved in a fatal multi-car vehicle collision than a passenger car. Two reasons for this are size and speed of the vehicle – about 27 percent of all commercial truck drivers involved in a fatal crash had at least one prior speeding conviction.

Have you been injured in a Missouri accident that involved a commercial truck? If so, you may be able to collect compensation for your injuries from the trucking company. Contact the St. Louis trucking accident attorneys at Page Law for a free consultation on your case at 314-322-8515 today.

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.

Based on the story, the truck driver told officers that he took his attention away from the road to look to his right. When he looked back at the road, he noticed that traffic had come to a halt. Unfortunately, a 52-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman were killed as a consequence of the tractor trailer being unable to stop in time.

The Jefferson County chain-reaction accident involved eight vehicles and is currently being further examined through reconstruction investigation. When truck accidents are caused by truck driver negligence or trucking company oversight and result in serious injury, and especially in fatality, responsible parties may face criminal charges in addition to civil liability.

Overconfidence, fatigue, distraction, and various forms of reckless and negligent behavior have individually and collectively contributed to a handful of Missouri tractor trailer crashes as well as other accidents throughout our nation. Truck accidents can lead to wide range of calamities such as head trauma, spinal cord injury, broken bones, lacerations, and even wrongful death. These truck accident consequences often do not affect the truck driver; instead, pedestrians as well as drivers and passengers of smaller vehicles and motorcycles are typically the ones who suffer.

State and Federal trucking rules and regulations are intended to help keep roads and highways safe by setting truck inspection, maintenance, repair, and driving laws for truck drivers and trucking companies to follow. If an accident results from these regulations being broken or another form of negligence, injured individuals and family members of wrongful death victims may seek compensation. Contact the aggressive and skilled St. Louis tractor trailer collision attorneys at Page Law to learn more about your legal rights and options. Call 314-322-8515 for a free consultation today.

According to eyewitnesses, the tractor-trailer collided with the pickup after the pickup ran a red light. The force of the collision pushed the pickup truck into a second tractor-trailer at the intersection. The entire passenger side of the Dodge pickup caved in from the impact. Rescue workers attempted to revive the victim at the scene, but could not save him. The driver of the second tractor-trailer involved in the accident was not injured.

Witnesses say that the tractor-trailer driver tried to avoid hitting the pickup, but there was not room to swerve in the intersection. The tractor-trailer clipped another passenger car while attempting to avoid the collision, but the driver of that car was not hurt. The intersection was closed for several hours as fire crews worked to clean up the spilled diesel fuel left from the accident.

If a motorist is injured or killed in a collision with a large truck, compensation may be available to the motorist or his family in the form of payments for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other costs arising from the tractor-trailer driver’s negligence. After a tractor-trailer accident, it is important to contact a skilled Missouri wrongful death truck accident attorney as soon as possible in order to protect your rights after the crash.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a collision with a tractor-trailer, please don’t hesitate to contact the experienced Missouri truck accident attorneys at Page Law. Our attorneys will listen carefully to the details of your case and fight to protect your legal rights. Contact Page Law today by calling (314) 322-8515 for a free and confidential evaluation of your Missouri truck accident case.

Very often, as St. Louis big rig crash lawyers, we see similar tragic collisions occur when truck drivers are not paying attention to traffic conditions. When you are behind the wheel of a large truck, sudden movements are not possible. In fact, we have seen in many cases how big-rig sudden movement has led to jackknifing. Such actions endanger not only the truck drivers, but also other people who are using the roadways.

If negligence or wrongdoing is involved in causing a fatal trucking accident, family members of deceased victims can file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation to cover funeral expenses, loss of love and companionship, and other related damages. When a tractor-trailer accident occurs, it is important that you move quickly to contact an experienced Missouri truck accident lawyer. Trucking companies and their insurance carriers send investigators to gather as much information as possible as quickly as they can, usually within hours.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, please contact the Missouri wrongful death truck accident lawyers at Page Law by calling (314) 322-8515. You need an experienced truck accident attorney to aggressively represent you and protect your legal rights. We will provide you with a free consultation. Let us evaluate your case and help you decide what course of action is best for you and your family.

Source:http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/86559592.html

Tractor-trailer accident attorneys in St. Louis are well-aware that truck crashes are among the most devastating of accidents on Missouri roads and highways, especially for occupants of smaller vehicles. The sheer size and weight of larger trucks is unfortunately no match for a small automobile. In such incidents, it is important to establish fault for the tractor-trailer collision as soon as possible.

Experienced Missouri truck accident lawyers know that trucking firms have insurance adjusters and attorneys at their beck and call and can get them to the scene of the crash in a moment’s notice. On the other hand, most injured victims are not aware of their legal rights in such situations or how important it is to collect physical evidence at the scene as well as getting information from eyewitnesses. Without eyewitness reports and physical evidence, it may be more difficult to prove your story as an accident victim.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident in Missouri, please remember not to make statements on the scene to any insurance adjusters or attorneys for the other side. Do not sign any forms or agree to any settlements without first talking to your own attorney. Call a skilled St. Louis tractor-trailer personal injury lawyer with Page Law at (866) 620-5757. Our tractor trailer accident law firm can immediately alert our truck accident team and start gathering evidence that can be vital to your case.

Source:http://www.newstribune.com/articles/2010/03/08/news_local/nt298local35veltrop10.txt

Maneuvering a large, 80,000-pound vehicle in traffic can be quite a challenge. That is why truck drivers need to be trained with regard to how they handle their vehicles, how to maintain them and how to keep them properly loaded. When truck drivers lack training or when they drive recklessly without following basic safety rules and standards, the consequences can be catastrophic and tragic, as it was with this fatal truck accident.

If a fatal accident is determined to have been caused by a negligent truck driver, then both the driver and his employer can be held liable for the individual’s wrongful death. A St. Louis wrongful death claim in any auto accident is filed by the immediate family members of the deceased victim. Wrongful death claims seek compensation for medical or funeral expenses, loss of earnings, loss of companionship and other related damages.

If you have lost a loved one in a Missouri tractor-trailer accident, please contact the skilled St. Louis truck accident wrongful death attorneys at Page Law. We have extensive experience and a successful track record representing truck accident victims and their families. We will make sure that your legal rights are protected. Call our tractor trailer Missouri crash lawyers today at 866-620-5757 to find out how we can help.

Source:http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_014010503.html

All available research and statistics about cell phones, texting and driving show that it can be extremely dangerous to text or use a hand-held cell phone while driving. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute recently reported that large truck drivers increase their crash risk by 23 times when they text and drive. Merely reaching for a communication device or dialing a cell phone increased the chance of a car accident or a large truck accident by six times. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety says that more than 1 million auto accidents each year are caused in North America as a result of distracted driving or driver inattention.

Truck drivers not only face criminal charges, but also civil liability in cases where their negligence causes serious personal injuries and fatalities. In such cases, the trucking firm can also be held responsible for the injuries, damages and losses caused. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Missouri truck accident, please contact an experienced St. Louis tractor trailer crash lawyer at Page Law to schedule your free consultation today. We will fight hard to protect your legal rights and make sure you receive the justice and compensation you rightfully deserve.

Source:http://interact.stltoday.com/blogzone/st-louis-crime-beat/st-louis-county/2010/01/trucker-faces-summer-trial-in-fatal-crash/