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The big problem with truck accidents is that they are almost always really serious. A truck is heavy, large and can cause serious damage. Commercial truck drivers always take huge responsibility whenever they start moving the truck. This is why you can only drive such vehicles when you are certified and you go through special training.

When truck accidents happen, personal injury attorneys tend to be involved. This is because personal injury claims almost always apply. It is always important to do all that is possible to stop the accidents from happening in the first place. If this was not done, the courts decide that negligence caused the truck accidents.

According to Rees Law truck accident lawyers, the negligence that appears usually happens because of some simple mistakes that could have easily been avoided. Those mistakes that are really common are presented below.

Driver Fatigue

This is one of the most common truck accident causes and can be incredibly dangerous. There are federal regulations in place that limit how many hours the truck driver can remain on the road before rest is forced. The problem is that these regulations are often not enough to stop the truck driver from experiencing fatigue. There are so many trucking companies that pay their driver by a mile. Truckers try to make as much money as possible so they end up exhausting themselves with the purpose of earning more money.

Experience Lack

Inexperience is often not discussed but can cause serious injuries. In the trucking industry, the highly experienced truck drivers are always respected and paid more. This is because of the fact that they have really high hands-on experience, which can be considered to be priceless. The novice driver is normally naïve and can easily make mistakes.

Truck Maintenance Problems

This can be disastrous. Truck accidents are not always caused by the driver and some errors that he/she made. It is possible that there is some sort of malfunction that happened. Also, a serious situation is that in which the trucking company showed negligence with fleet maintenance. Routine truck maintenance is needed. When this does not happen and the faulty truck causes an accident, the company is held responsible and needs to pay compensation fees.

Improper Truck Loading

Numerous possible improper cargo loading problems can appear. All freight need to be loaded and then secured in a proper way. This prevents so many possible injuries and accidents. If loading is improper, it can cause uneven weight distribution and shifting. These are serious contributing factors for numerous truck accidents these days.

Distracted Driving

In many parts of the world, this is the main cause for all accidents, including those involving trucks. Distracted driving is much more common now than in the past since drivers have access to numerous technologies they can be distracted by. LCD navigation systems and smartphones are common examples of that. With truck drivers, in particular, the common distractions that do cause serious accidents are smoking, reading, turning on the radio, texting and eating.

Source of article click here : Baltimore Post - Examiner

Enrique Lara and Jasmine Morales

A truck driver and passenger were arrested Monday, Oct. 22 when police found $4.4 million worth of liquid methamphetamine in the passenger side fuel tank of a parked tractor-trailer. Police say it’s among the largest drug seizures in the state’s history.

Numerous media outlets report Norman Police Department officers found 1,262 pounds of liquid meth inside the semi-truck in the parking lot of a hotel located near 26^th Avenue SW at about 9 a.m. Monday.

Arrested were 36-year-old Enrique Lara and 21-year-old Jasmine Morales for aggravated trafficking. They were booked into the Cleveland County Detention Center.

Source of article click here : Truckers News

When the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association’s Collin Long testified in front of a House subcommittee in September, he made numerous compelling and well-founded points regarding the negative effects created by the regulation of glider vehicles.

Long told lawmakers about the affordability and efficiency of gliders as well as how they often serve as the best option for the small-business trucker.

This is all true, of course. But the point that really struck a chord with me was when Long told lawmakers that the debate facing owner-operators isn’t between buying a new truck with all of the emissions standards or a glider. New trucks are often too expensive and unreliable in order to fit into an owner-operator’s business model.

Without gliders in the market, most small-business truckers will either look to continue driving their current truck or purchase another used truck.

“A lot of our members are forced to drive their current trucks into the ground before they even consider replacing them,” Long said.

“These trucks aren’t necessarily any cleaner than a glider kit, which they at least specify with better aerodynamics and better fuel efficiency. The choice for our members is whether or not to continue with their current truck or purchase a glider truck, because they can’t afford a new truck.”

So while the focus was on debating the emission standards of new trucks and gliders, Long let lawmakers know that they were focusing on the wrong thing. Continued stringent regulations against the glider industry won’t lead to a drastic increase in new truck sales. It is much more likely that owner-operators will do anything they can to keep their used trucks running.

The Phase 2 greenhouse gas rule rolled back the use of gliders. In November 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed to repeal emission requirements for gliders. The proposal received opposition from environmentalist groups.

Meanwhile, the debate continues over the validity of studies conducted by Tennessee Tech and the EPA. Both emissions studies have been criticized for their lack of objectivity.

And while lawmakers try to sort all of this out, small-business truckers are just trying to stay in business.

Loren Hunt, an OOIDA senior member from Bois D’Arc, Mo., learned the hard way that today’s new trucks are no longer a realistic option for his business after the implementation of EPA’s heavy-duty truck standards in 2007 and 2010.

With the new standards, manufacturers began using diesel particulate filters (DPF) in a truck’s exhaust filters to trap unburned particulates.

Hunt said the DPF had to be cleaned every 30,000 to 40,000 miles. It also needed to be replaced at 100,000 miles with a cost between $3,500 and $5,000. The DPF also required additional sensors and wiring. The fuel economy dipped 15 to 20 percent, Hunt said.

The 2010 standards led to even more expensive engines and technology.

This created a lot of problems for Hunt’s family business, LHT Enterprises, after he purchased three newer trucks in 2013. Hunt said his business encountered maintenance costs of nearly $35,000 during a 10-month span from 2013 to 2014. To make matters worse, the trucks weren’t generating any revenue as they were routinely down for repair.

Hunt’s business, which was started by his father in the 1960s, was in danger.

“It just about broke us,” Hunt said. “They were in the shop all of the time. Between those three trucks, they just about buried us in the winter of 2013.”

At that point, Hunt was faced with utilizing alternative vehicles or shutting down the 50-year-old business. He chose to go with gliders, saving tens of thousands of dollars on the sticker price alone. In addition, Hunt said he saved thousands from reduced fuel and maintenance costs.

“We knew we needed to do something different,” he said. “Since we purchased gliders in 2014, we’ve finally been able to dig ourselves out of that hole.”

Eliminating gliders as an option won’t put Hunt in the market for a new truck.

“A new truck isn’t an option. Gliders allowed us to stay in business.”

Source of article click here : Landline

VIDEO

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- It happened while a Wisconsin truck driver was hauling heavy equipment marked for Hurricane Michael relief. Unfortunately, while he was stopped on the side of the road, the family dog jumped out of the cab and hasn't been seen since. The effort to find him is spanning several states, with a reward being offered.

Every day since it happened, Stephanie Williamson and her daughter, Caity, have been on the road searching for their lost dog, "Captain."

"We've come down here every single day. We've been putting posters up from Lomira to Milwaukee," said Stephanie Williamson.

Captain is a fitting name for the Teacup Pomeranian because he's logged thousands of miles with Caity's father, a truck driver.

"He sits right on the dashboard. That's where he sits. Right on the dash," said Stephanie Williamson.

On Friday, Oct. 12, Caity's father -- and Captain -- were driving to pick up a loader bound for hurricane relief efforts in Florida. Around 2 p.m., Captain got loose on I-41 near Allenton.

"Captain must have jumped out when my dad pulled over to check a strap," said Caity Williamson.

Captain hasn't been seen since. Fliers have been posted up and down the I-41 corridor.

"Everyone has been helping us. They've been helping us put posters up since Friday," said Stephanie Williamson.

The Williamsons believe Captain was likely picked up by another driver, and maybe reluctant to turn the dog over to a shelter.

"We know that anyone would be lucky to have him, but he's not theirs. He's ours," said Stephanie Williamson.

The family is offering a $2,500 reward for Captain's return.

"Everyone that knows us, knows he's a huge part of our family," said Stephanie Williamson.

The family says Captain wasn't wearing a collar, but he has a microchip. If you have information, call 920-810-3645 or 920-538-4237.

Source of article click here : FOX NEWS