On behalf of Peter Hileman of Drake, Hileman & Davis, P.C. posted inTruck Accidents on Wednesday, December 24, 2014. As any Pennsylvania motorists can attest, our roadways serve as an important corridor for commercial tractor-trailers. Pennsylvania’s proximity to the grain belt of the Midwest as well as the hyper-populated cities of the Eastern Seaboard practically guarantees a constant flow of semi-trucks throughout the state. The problem is that many of these commercial big rigs are not in compliance with federal and state safety regulations. In fact, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration estimates that one out of every six trucks on the road may fail to pass safety inspection to the point to where they would be considered unsafe for service. The traffic safety accident numbers reveal a grim pattern of neglecting safety standards. Since 2009, an estimated 14,000 people have been killed in accidents associated with semi-trucks. Some safety advocates estimate that perhaps a quarter of those fatalities involve vehicles with prior safety violations. One survey of truck safety looked at national truck accident statistics and compared the rate of truck accidents per every million miles traveled. New Jersey was found to have the worst accident rate: 0.53 crashes for every million miles of commercial tractor-trailer traffic. Although Pennsylvania was closer to the bottom of that list, we still came in with an incident rate of 0.18. Safety experts point to the irregularity of truck safety enforcement as a major contributing problem. For example, safety officials in Texas may […]
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Category: Truck Accidents
On behalf of Peter Hileman of Drake, Hileman & Davis, P.C. posted in Truck Accidents on Thursday, November 20, 2014. In a previous blog post, we discussed the serious consequences that sometimes result when truck drivers are excessively fatigued. In that post, we noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that a driver who has been awake for 24 hours straight is equally impaired as someone who is legally drunk. In July 2014, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration implemented new regulations regarding the total hours of service in which commercial drivers are allowed to operate. These so-called “HOS Regulations” are meant to reduce truck accidents by preventing overly fatigued drivers from continuing to operate across America’s roadways. Truck drivers are now limited to driving for only 14 hours per workday but must stop for a break after 11 hours of continuous driving. The maximum allowable work hours per week for truck drivers has now been capped at a total of 70 hours. Truck drivers are also now required to take a 30-minute break during the first eight hours of their shifts. The new regulations contain a provision aimed at allowing a truck driver’s natural body clock to “reset” by resting for a specified period of time when the body most requires rest. Currently, drivers who have reached their maximum 70-hour work week limit are not permitted to resume driving until they have rested for 34 consecutive hours. Additionally, drivers must have rested during the hours of 1:00 […]
On behalf of Peter Hileman of Drake, Hileman & Davis, P.C. posted in Truck Accidents on Friday, August 15, 2014. In what could only be described as something close to a miracle, Pennsylvania State Police say that a bicyclist survived after being struck by a tractor-trailer operated by suspected drunk driver. The accident occurred in East Rock Hill Township, Pennsylvania, along Route 313. According to records of emergency police broadcasts, a call came in to police from a motorist at about 3:48 a.m. on Aug. 10. The caller was reporting finding a bicycle wheel on Route 313, which is also known as Dublin Pike, near North Fifth Street. Subsequent radio dispatches described how the bicyclist ended up off of the road after presumably being thrown over a guardrail. State police based at Dublin, Pennsylvania, responded to the scene of the truck accident and soon located a tractor-trailer situated roughly a mile away. Upon discovery of the big-rig, police found its driver whom they suspected was under the influence of alcohol. They arrested that defendant under charges of drinking and driving, although additional charges may be added pending the results of a toxicology test. Authorities have not yet released the identities of either party involved in the crash. However, it was revealed that first responders took the bicyclist to St. Luke’s University Hospital in Fountain Hill, Pennsylvania via ambulance. The victim’s medical status is described as critical. Commercial tractor-trailers are already dangerous enough due to their enormous weight and massive size. When […]
On behalf of Peter Hileman of Drake, Hileman & Davis, P.C. posted in Truck Accidents on Tuesday, July 15, 2014. When most people think of truck accidents, they envision a semi-truck involved in an accident while driving down the interstate. However, truck accidents can involve a wide range of commercial vehicles and a variety of different emergencies. For example, a food truck explosion in Feltonville, Pennsylvania, injured a dozen people. Five of those victims suffered serious burn injuries. The truck accident happened on July 1. According to witnesses, it involved a massive fireball that resulted when the truck’s propane tank exploded. The explosion was so loud and forceful that many who live in the area around Wyoming Avenue and Third Street heard or felt it while in their homes. The two operators of the food truck were critically injured, both with third-degree burns covering more than half their bodies. It’s not known if the woman who was blown out of the truck was the 42-year-old woman or her daughter, who is 18. The others who were seriously injured included two young men and a 13-year-old girl. They are in critical condition. The other seven people who were transported included people trapped in their cars after the explosion. According to those who live in the area, the mother and daughter who operated the truck are from Guatemala. The popular food truck, called “Parrillada Chapina,” is usually parked there on a daily basis. It’s important for those who are injured in truck accidents […]
By Drake Hileman of Drake, Hileman & Davis, P.C. posted in Truck Accidents on Wednesday, June 11, 2014. A new debate has now entered the conversation regarding commercial truck drivers operating their vehicles while exhausted. The question is who should be held accountable for truck drivers that feel compelled to drive tired in order to earn a living? A recent New Jersey truck accident that killed one person and injured three others is now getting a lot of attention due to a celebrity’s involvement. Actor Tracy Morgan was inside a limo van that was struck from behind by a Walmart tractor-trailer on June 6. Inside the limo van, one person was killed and three others seriously injured, including Morgan, after the limo van was flipped over from the truck’s impact. The driver of the truck, a 24-year-old man from Georgia, was later charged with death by auto and four counts of assault while driving. As the law currently stands, operators of commercial tractor-trailers are not supposed to work longer than 14 hours each day. They are also restricted from actually driving any longer than 11 hours during any single stretch of time. Obviously, the regulations are intended to keep truck drivers from falling asleep at the wheel. Police haven’t yet gone so far as to say that the truck driver fell asleep at the wheel, but they did mention prolonged sleep deprivation in their charging documents. What is interesting is that sleep deprivation can have the same effect as drinking […]
By Drake Hileman of Drake, Hileman & Davis, P.C. posted in Truck Accidents on Thursday, February 27, 2014. It has been a couple of weeks since Feb. 14 came to a close. It was a day filled with flowers, chocolates and candlelight for many couples. For some Bucks County romantics, their plans may have been halted when they got stuck in traffic on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. It wasn’t just a bit of a backup caused by rush-hour travel. For some drivers, this traffic jam lasted from morning to night. What caused this lengthy delay? The delay was caused by just a few chain-reaction collisions, but those collisions involved enough vehicles that they caught national attention. There were up to 100 vehicles involved in these collisions, including several tractor-trailers that had jack-knifed across the lanes. It could only look like pure chaos at the scene with one vehicle mashed into another, stretching for a mile-long in at least one spot. With the mass of twisted metal, it was difficult for emergency responders to simply get to the victims, let alone provide immediate aid to every single individual that needed it. Eventually, the responders were able to reach the victims by extending ladders from the opposite lanes and across the concrete impediments separating them. Once on the side of the victims, the rescuers were able to pick through the mess and determine which victims would need their attention first. The victims were tagged by color — yellow, green or white based on […]
TRUCK ACCIDENT RESULTS IN FATAL INJURIES
By Jonathan Russell of Drake, Hileman & Davis, P.C. posted in Truck Accidents on Friday, January 10, 2014. Drivers in Pennsylvania often encounter large vehicles on the roadway. Semi trucks and tractor-trailers frequent the roads and are often used to make large shipments long and short distances. Most drivers are used to making long trips in these massive vehicles, but even the most experienced drivers could become involved in a truck accident. These vehicles are often more difficult to control and could be especially challenging to control in bad weather, when they are traveling at high speeds or are involved in a collision. Authorities in Coraopolis recently responded to a fatal truck collision that involved an SUV. According to preliminary reports, the SUV was out of control and collided with the tractor-trailed traveling in the westbound lanes on Interstate 376. The crash happened around 9:45 a.m. and caused the tractor-trailer to hit a guardrail, flip over onto its side and slide down a slope on the side of the Interstate. Emergency crews responded to the massive crash and assessed those involved. The driver of the tractor-trailer was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the SUV suffered unspecified injuries and was transported to the hospital for treatment. The crash is still under investigation and the westbound lanes of Interstate 376 were closed for several hours during investigation and clean up. Once completed, authorities should be able to determine cause and liability. If a driver was negligent and caused a […]
By Jonathan Russell of Drake, Hileman & Davis, P.C. posted in Truck Accidents on Thursday, December 26, 2013. Driving at night or during the early morning hours is not uncommon for some drivers in Pennsylvania. This is especially true for truck drivers. During the holiday season these massive vehicles are utilized to make long distance shipments to deliver packages containing presents and other holiday shopping deals. This not only increases the amount of trucks on the road but the likelihood of being involved in a collision. The holiday season does not only mean sending a receiving gifts but also means winter weather. Snow and ice covered roads can make it very dangerous for any driver and a truck accident could result in very serious injuries and damage. Authorities in Bensalem recently reported a major multi-vehicle collision that shutdown traffic going eastbound on the Pennsylvania Turnpike for several hours. According to preliminary reports, the crash occurred around 6:00 a.m. just beyond the exit for Route 1. Three commercial trucks were involved in the accident and two cars in the vicinity of the crash were affected by it but were not part of the incident. The impact of the collision in the eastbound lanes caused one of the trucks to hit the Jersey barrier, which is used to separate the east and westbound lanes of traffic. This caused pieces of concrete to fly into the westbound lanes. Traffic had to be reduced to one lane to avoid additional accidents. Emergency crews arrived […]
TWO ACCIDENTS IN SALEM INJURE AT LEAST ONE
By Jonathan Russell of Drake, Hileman & Davis, P.C. posted in Truck Accidents on Wednesday, February 20, 2013. Driving in the late night hours can make a driver more vulnerable to accidents. Truck drivers tend to travel throughout the night and into the early morning, and the dark road conditions could increase the chances of a truck accident. These massive vehicles usually carry large loads or deliveries. When they are in a collision, the accident site is usually large also, causing much damage to other vehicles. In addition, a tractor-trailer accident can cause a larger accident by involving other vehicles in a chain-reaction manner. Two accidents in Salem recently occurred on the same night and police responded to both incidents in order to provide emergency aid. The first accident involved a tractor-trailer and another vehicle. The accident occurred shortly after 9 p.m. on Route 22. The status of the drivers and any passengers in the vehicles has not yet been reported. The second incident involved a pick-up truck and a car. The collision occurred around 8 p.m. near the intersection of Middletown and Bus Garage roads. Emergency crews responded to the incident and at least one person was transported from the scene to the hospital. Both incidents are still under investigation. Details surrounding the collisions and any purported causes have not been released at this time. A person injured in accidents like these might have a personal injury claim, as serious injuries are not unusual when cars and trucks come […]
