In August, a big rig was pulled over by police and cited for 25 safety violations including defective brakes, shredded and bald tires, and a broken trailer cross member. Eight of the violations were grave enough to merit the officers in pulling the truck off the road. Aside from the obvious citations for violation of vehicle maintenance by the driver and trucking company, the driver was also cited for driving past his industry-regulated service hours. All together the fines totaled $896.00.
Sadly, this level of violation is common in the trucking industry. Luckily, in this instance, the police were able to intervene before a disastrous Semi-Truck accident occurred. However, the police cannot catch every truck accident before it happens. Until the truck drivers and truck companies are punished with harsher fines and/or begin to respect the industry’s safety regulations as a priority over profit, Texas truck accidents will likely continue to be a leading contributor to traffic-related fatalities.
Many factors have been known to result in trucking accidents, including driver fatigue, excessive speed, fraudulent log book records, negligent truck maintenance, unbalanced loads, overweight loads, unsecure loads, negligent hiring and/or training of drivers, tailgating or failing to judge stopping distance, cell phone use, unsafe lane changes, aggressive driving, and lack of safety systems such as reflectors, lights, and other warning devices.
The complexity of these cases demands the expertise of knowledgeable Austin truck accident lawyers. If you or a loved one suffered injuries due to an Austin semi truck accident, call Shaw Cowart LLP today for the premium legal representation you deserve.