Oklahoma Truck Accident Injury Law Library TOPIC: Truck Accidents

Big rig trucks are a common sight on the highways throughout Oklahoma. Being involved in a truck accident usually results in serious personal injuries or even the wrongful death of your loved ones. Truck drivers and trucking companies have a responsibility to make sure the big rigs are being driven safely and are well maintained. Unfortunately, many trucking companies do not take this responsiblility seriously, pushing their drivers and trucks to the point that causes truck accidents.

Trucking companies make more money if their drivers deliver cargo in as little time as possible and with trucks as full as possible. Money motivates trucking companies to create unrealistic driving schedules for their truck drivers and to overload the trucks.

The unrealistic schedules force the truck drivers stay on the road for long periods of time and may cause the drivers to become fatigued and possibly fall asleep while driving. A fatigued driver will not be able to respond to traffic situations as quickly as a well rested driver. There are many laws regulating how long truck drivers can drive before they need to take a break and rest. Trucking companies push these laws and often alter the log books to make it look like thier drivers were not driving longer they were supposed to.When a truck driver is tired, they are much more likely to cause a truck accident.

Overloaded trucks are another exceptionally dangerous practice used in the trucking industry. Big rig trucks are harder to control when overloaded, especially if the truck begins to tip or has to stop quickly. Trucks of this size naturally sway in the wind and can lean a little while making turns. Overloaded trucks can roll over causing a serious truck accident.

If you or a loved one has suffered a personal injury or wrongful death in Tulsa, Oklahoma due to a truck accident, please contact the experienced truck accident lawyers at Self Law & Associates today to schedule your free case evaluation.

This year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which regulates interstate trucking and passenger busses, implemented a new Safety Measurement System (SMS) that is designed to simultaneously reduce truck accidents and reduce the burden of inspection and regulation on trucking companies that consistently follow the rules.

One thing the new system does is focus enforcement efforts on seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs) that have been identified as contributing to truck accidents and personal injury by FMCSA research. These BASIC areas are:

• Unsafe driving (speeding, reckless driving, and inattention)
• Fatigued driving (Hours-of-Service violations)
• Driver fitness (Drivers must hold appropriate licenses and be medically evaluated to ensure they are qualified)
• Controlled substances and alcohol (use or possession of controlled substances or alcohol while on duty)
• Vehicle maintenance (proper maintenance of trucks, including lights, brakes, and more)
• Cargo-related (proper loading and securing of cargo)
• Previous crashes

Motor carriers found to be in violation of any of these areas will receive greater scrutiny and have to undergo additional inspections to maintain roadworthiness. Companies without violations will be given fewer inspections.

Hopefully, in addition to reducing the number of truck accidents, this new system will get dangerous carriers off the road more quickly and document their safety lapses. In addition, it may provide greater documentation in support of personal injury lawsuits related to truck accidents.

If you have been hurt or lost a loved one in a truck accident, a personal injury lawyer may be able to help you get compensation. To learn more about your legal rights, please contact Self & Associates in Oklahoma City to schedule a consultation.

In 2009, the US saw a marked decrease in large truck and bus-related fatalities. Proponents of revised Hours of Service (HoS) regulations (which govern the number of hours truckers can be on the road in a given day and week), heralded the decrease as evidence that the new rules (which had been constantly fought by the Bush administration) protected not only passenger car occupants, but truck drivers as well (26% fewer truckers died in 2009 than in 2008). However, in 2010, the number of people killed in truck accidents rose by nine percent, to a total of 3484 people killed by large truck accidents.

However, when seen as part of a larger trend, it shows a continued decline in the number of truck-related fatalities. Overall, the number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes declined by 25% from 2007 to 2010. Large trucks involved in injury accidents decreased by 23% from 76,000 to 58,000.

Ten-year trends are even more striking, in some ways. The number of large trucks involved in injury accidents dropped by 42%, and the number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes decreased by 30%.

Although these trends may cast doubt on the impact of specific changes to HoS rules, one thing is clear: the regulation of the trucking industry continues to reduce the risk of death or injury on the highway due to truck accidents.

Truck accident lawsuits also help to reduce the number of deaths and injury accidents involving large trucks. If you have been hurt or lost a loved one, your lawsuit can get compensation for you and encourage trucking companies to follow safer practices.

To learn more about your legal rights and options, please contact Self & Associates today for a free case evaluation.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates trucking companies, establishing rules for how many consecutive hours a trucker can drive, how heavy a load can be, and other factors. The goal of these regulations is to decrease the number and severity of truck accidents.

How many hours is a truck driver permitted to be on the road at any one time?

The FMCSA allows truckers to drive for 11 consecutive hours with a minimum of 10 hours of downtime afterward. This requirement is designed to ensure that truckers get adequate rest to help avoid accidents caused by fatigue and sleep deprivation.

If a trucker takes time to rest, won’t he just speed to make up the time later, increasing the odds of an accident?

Trucking companies are not allowed to impose an unrealistic schedule on a driver. Trucking companies have a responsibility to ensure that a load is safely delivered in a timely fashion, but they must also take into account the distance and possible delays the driver will face. If a company places unrealistic demands on a truck driver and an accident occurs as a result, the company can be held responsible for damages.

Who is responsible for a truck accident?

Because so many different companies and contractors can be involved in a truck delivery, the responsible parties in truck accidents can vary. In many instances, a trucking company that has imposed an unrealistic schedule on a trucker is to blame. Truckers themselves can be at fault because of distracted or reckless driving. If the truck was overloaded, or if the freight was not properly secured, the company that loaded the truck might also be liable for damages.

If you have been injured in a truck accident in the state of Oklahoma, please contact experienced truck accident attorney James Self at Self & Associates to schedule your free initial consultation. We can help you pursue the compensation you need to make a full recovery.

The incredible impact from any Oklahoma Truck Accident can cause severe, sometimes fatal injuries to the victims, including permanent injury to the spinal cord.

Because the spinal cord is so important to normal human activity and bodily functions, any back or neck injury should be considered very serious, and immediate medical attention should be the first priority after any vehicle accident, especially a truck accident.

An accident with a Big Rig or Semi Tractor Trailer Truck can deliver explosive impact forces to the occupants of smaller cars or SUVs. Anyone who has ever seen the tangled mess of metal that's left from a small car struck by a big truck should know exactly how dangerous and deadly this kind of accident can be.

Often a major truck company that has been involved in an injury accident is represented by a very experienced team of insurance defense lawyers. That's why if you've been involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler truck, you need the Best Oklahoma Truck Accident Lawyer you can find.

James Self and Self & Associates have been representing Oklahoma Truck Accident victims for over 35 years, and have recovered millions of dollars in settlements for their clients, all across Oklahoma. If you've been involved in a truck accident, please call today for a free consultation.

The incredible impact from any Oklahoma Truck Accident can cause severe, sometimes fatal injuries to the victims, including permanent injury to the spinal cord.

Because the spinal cord is so important to normal human activity and bodily functions, any back or neck injury should be considered very serious, and immediate medical attention should be the first priority after any vehicle accident, especially a truck accident.

An accident with a Big Rig or Semi Tractor Trailer Truck can deliver explosive impact forces to the occupants of smaller cars or SUVs. Anyone who has ever seen the tangled mess of metal that's left from a small car struck by a big truck should know exactly how dangerous and deadly this kind of accident can be.

Often a major truck company that has been involved in an injury accident is represented by a very experienced team of insurance defense lawyers. That's why if you've been involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler truck, you need the Best Oklahoma Truck Accident Lawyer you can find.

James Self and Self & Associates have been representing Oklahoma Truck Accident victims for over 35 years, and have recovered millions of dollars in settlements for their clients, all across Oklahoma. If you've been involved in a truck accident, please call today for a free consultation.