Blog Category | Truck accidents
Commercial truck accidents encompass a wide array of scenarios. Beyond the commonly recognized semi-trucks and 18-wheelers, numerous types of commercial vehicles occupy the road. From utility trucks to construction vehicles, from moving trucks to garbage trucks, the list is extensive. Accidents are not confined to a specific type or size...
Now that the holidays are approaching, Pennsylvanians may see more commercial trucks out on the roads. Delivery trucks may be rushing around neighborhoods to deliver packages and gifts to residents of Butler, and large cargo trucks may clog highways as they move between distribution centers and retail outlets. Trucks help...
There are many reasons why semitrucks are so dangerous on Pennsylvania’s highways. For instance, researchers have studied truck driver fatigue to find out how often it causes accidents, seeing as truck drivers work full-time in this position and, just like the rest of us, may have to work while they’re...
Semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles crisscross our nation’s roads and highways as they transport goods across America. While they are a necessary part of commerce in our nation, it is important to note that they do present a danger to other drivers on the road. There are certain common situations...
Semi-trucks are an important part of interstate commerce in our nation, but it is not unusual for truck drivers to take risks while on the road. For example, truckers in Pennsylvania may be financially incentivized to make as many deliveries as possible as quickly as possible. This could lead them...
Building a personal injury claim after a car accident is rarely a simple or quick process, especially when the accident involves a commercial truck. Victims who rush the process often miss out on compensation that they deserve, because they need help getting back on their feet as soon as possible....
When a truck is involved in a collision, there are many possibilities regarding the attribution of liability. The most obvious scenario is that one or several of the parties at the scene is responsible for the collision; either the truck driver, another driver or a combination of the two. However,...
When it comes to trucks entering the roadway, there are all sizes and types of commercial trucks. Some hauling freight, some hauling livestock, others hauling equipment or goods. Whatever the need, most things are hauled on trucks at some point in their supply chain. Some companies do hauling in-house, while...
This blog has often noted the potential dangers posed to other vehicles by large trucks. Because commercial trucks are so large and heavy, any collision between a truck and a passenger car can be devastating for occupants of the smaller vehicle. However, large trucks can sometimes pose other dangers as...
In the old days, truckers would stop and use payphones when they needed to get in touch with co-workers or loved ones. When they were on the road, they were essentially out of contact for hours at a time. They did use radios to talk to other truck drivers, but...
We’re all familiar with the 18-wheeler hauling cargo down a major freeway. Since they are so commonplace, the average person may become desensitized to their potential danger. However, that false sense of security can come to a screeching end when a person or a loved one is involved in a...
Have you ever gotten stuck in a traffic jam behind a semitruck? It’s actually one of the most vulnerable places you can be on the road. It’s very hard to do anything to avoid an accident if someone does not stop in time and runs into the back of your...
A Butler driver who chooses to use a handheld device while operating their automobile can face serious penalties if they are caught in the act. However, this may a minor problem for them compared to the serious damage they can inflict on others if their texting and driving causes a...
A truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. In your SUV or sedan, you feel very conscious of that weight difference — your vehicle is likely in the 3,000 to 4,000-pound range — every time you pass a truck. It towers over you. In an accident, your car could...
The freight-hauling big rigs that travel the highways are the engine that keep our local economies thriving. These hardworking drivers are constantly under a time crunch to make sure their payloads reach their final destinations, and we can continue living daily life. Accidents happen, though, and the results are often...
In order to drive a tractor-trailer safely on Pennsylvania’s busy streets and highways, you need skill, patience, an understanding of traffic laws and a relentless focus on the vehicles around you. Those who manage to drive a big rig safely for years deserve recognition for their dedication to hauling goods...
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours of service regulations are designed to prevent accidents caused by fatigued truck drivers and protect motorists in Pennsylvania and around the country. The current rules were put into place in 2013, but they have been widely criticized by trade groups including the Owner-Operator...
More than 200 road users in Pennsylvania and around the country are killed each year when the passenger vehicles they are traveling in strike the side of a semi-tractor trailer. The National Transportation Safety Board urged the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to mandate the fitting of side guards to...
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is taking a new look at driver fatigue and seeking input on the issue. Motor carrier businesses, organizations and operators in Pennsylvania are encouraged to submit their comments to the FMCSA. The FMCSA is looking for comment on commute times of operators before beginning...
Commercial truck drivers in Pennsylvania and the rest of the country have many regulations to which they have to adhere. However, it is not unusual for truck drivers’ drug arrests to be overlooked. A report released by the Governors Highway Safety Association revealed that in 2015, more than 40 percent...
According to federal data, there were more than 400,000 accidents involving large trucks in 2015. Sadly, these crashes resulted in 116,000 injuries and 4,000 deaths. However, a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that advanced truck safety technologies could prevent over 77,000 truck accidents each year,...
Travel stress around the holidays is pretty much a given. Planes, trains and automobiles across the country are filled with holiday travelers trying to get somewhere. Your gifts and goodies, ordered with that special two-day shipping, have to get somewhere, too. That means even more big trucks on the roads,...
The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine has published a study linking poor truck driver health with a higher risk for accidents. The authors concluded that even minor medical conditions can add up to endanger truck drivers. This has raised some concerns for trucking companies in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, especially...
Pennsylvania residents may be alarmed to learn that a study performed by a leading business consulting firm found that six out of 10 commercial vehicle fleet operators have experienced a rollaway situation within the last two years. A moving vehicle with no driver behind the wheel poses a serious threat...
A notice was issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that stated the rule for establishing sleep apnea criteria for commercial truckers would be withdrawn. This means that truckers in Pennsylvania and the rest of the United States will still be governed by the existing, confusing policy for determining...
Commercial-sized vehicles pose a serious threat to others if they are involved in a collision. Their size and weight makes them capable of doing massive amounts of damage, even in low-speed crashes with indirect contact. The cargo these trucks transport can also be a danger to others in the event...
If you’re traveling on major roads, freeways or highways, chances are good that you’ll encounter a number of commercial trucks. From tanker trucks full of gasoline or milk to eighteen-wheelers loaded with lumber, there are thousands of commercial vehicles on Pennsylvania roads at any given time. While these vehicles and...
When parents send their kids to camp, school or extracurricular activities on a school bus, the expectation is that they will get from point A to point B safely. Tragically, this doesn’t always happen. Recently, for instance, 14 students were injured when the bus in which they were riding flipped...
If you or your loved one is in a truck accident, the chances are good there are serious injuries or even deaths to cope with. In fact, according to the statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, in 2015, over 20 percent of trucking accidents resulted in injuries and/or...
You have seen them on the highway, hauling their loads between construction sites or distribution centers. You have lost count of the number of times you have had to dodge tractor-trailers that have changed lanes without thoroughly checking their blind spots. Accidents that involve large commercial trucks can often have...
Millions of people in the U.S. suffer from a condition called sleep apnea, which is a disorder that causes pauses in breathing when a person is sleeping. Sufferers are often awoken dozens of times at night because of these pauses, which means they are not well rested. When a person...
Commercial vehicles are subject to strict regulations when it comes to proper maintenance. They are supposed to be regularly inspected and maintained so that any broken or worn down parts can be replaced or repaired before they cause a problem. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen. Trucking companies might be careless...
A traffic collision happens in a split second. But what exactly went wrong in that split second can make all the difference in determining who is at fault – and how injured people may be compensated. More and more, dash cameras are being used in truck accident cases to help...
As passenger vehicle accidents spike, commercial drivers are taking an unsuspecting turn. Data from 2016’s Operation Safe Driver Week shows that commercial drivers are showing better behavior on the roads. This is a good sign for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers and everyone who shares the road. Operation Safe Driver...
Early Monday morning in Jackson Township, Butler County, a frightening scene unfolded when a tractor trailer rolled on top of a pickup truck, trapping the drivers inside their vehicles. This accident occurred at the intersection of Little Creek Road and Seneca School Road at approximately 8:15 am. The tractor trailer,...
