Houston Truck Accident Attorney

About Truck Inspections and Highway Safety

The number of large trucks and commercial truck drivers that are inspected by safety investigators each year is shockingly inadequate. For years, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and partner state agencies have physically inspected only about 2% of the more than 500,000 registered motor carriers annually to check for compliance with safety regulations.

As one truck driver recently told a congressional committee, the current system amounts to "Catch me if you can." The lack of attention to safety by some trucking companies and drivers leads to thousands of preventable accidents involving large trucks each year, including many fatalities. That's why negligence on the part of a trucking company or commercial truck driver may be a contributing factor if you are involved in an accident with a large truck.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a crash with a large truck such as a tractor trailer, semi-trailer or 18-wheeler, you need an experienced truck accident lawyer at Arnold & Itkin LLP. At our firm, we are experienced trial lawyers and aggressive advocates for our truck accident and other personal injury clients, securing over $250 million in verdicts or settlements in 2011.

Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010: Inspections of Tractor Trailers

In 2008, 4,229 people were killed in accidents involving large trucks, and an additional 113,000 people suffered injuries. Compared to a collision between two cars, a crash involving a large truck and a car is much more likely to result in a fatality because of the difference in weight of the two vehicles. The overwhelming majority of those killed and injured each year in truck crashes are occupants of other vehicles.

To address concerns about insufficient inspections and to reduce fatal crashes involving large trucks, federal regulators are introducing Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010. A national program, CSA 2010 is designed to enhance oversight of the trucking industry and provide investigators tools to identify unsafe truck drivers. Studies have shown that unsafe driver behaviors, including driver fatigue, speeding, driving while disqualified, and hours-of-service violations, are major contributors to large truck crashes. Theses crashes can lead to serious injuries, including head injuries, burn injuries and permanent disabilities for occupants of other vehicles.

CSA 2010 is expected to increase identification of unsafe drivers. There are approximately 7 million licensed commercial drivers. Trucking companies will be assigned safety ratings based on the performance of their drivers, maintenance programs and safety violations weighted by crash risk. Individual drivers who operate independently as a motor carrier will be rated as a motor carrier after an on-site inspection of their business. Predictions are that ten times as many commercial motor carriers will be assigned a safety rating as a result of CSA 2010. When the compliance rating information is available, it can be used to show negligence on the part of a driver or trucking company that caused a serious crash.

Contact a Houston truck injury lawyer today!

If you have been seriously injured or lost a loved one in a tractor-trailer or semi-truck accident caused by a trucker, you have a legal right to seek compensation. Just as drivers need to understand the rules of the road, you need to understand your legal options. A Houston personal injury lawyer from our firm will help you evaluate them at no charge. In fact, we won't charge you any fee at all unless we obtain a verdict or settlement on your behalf.

Our firm represents victims of truck accidents nationwide. We are skilled trial lawyers and aggressive advocates for victims of tractor-trailer collisions and semi accidents. We're prepared to stand up to trucking companies to secure a settlement that recognizes the severity of your injuries and the disruption to your family. We have extensive experience handling commercial motor vehicle accidents and a track record of success to prove it.

Contact a Houston truck accident lawyer at Arnold & Itkin LLP for a free consultation by calling us toll-free at 888-392-8704.