Truck accidents can be deadly for everyone involved. A reason for this is due to the size of a truck. A 3,700-pound vehicle is often no match for an 80,000-pound truck. An accident can lead to more severe injuries or even death for the driver and their passengers. Being involved in such an accident may require the help of an experienced attorney who can navigate a complex truck accident claim. A scary truck accident happened close to Bakersfield not too long ago: A semi-truck hit a passenger vehicle after it jackknifed on Southbound Interstate 5 in Frazier Mountain Park, California in February of 2017, according to 23ABC News. California Highway Patrol said the truck was traveling at a high rate of speed before the accident. One of the tires separated from the truck and flew into the northbound lane. At the time, there were heavy rains and high winds. The passenger vehicle involved in the accident was a white BMW. After the impact, the vehicle spun out of control until it hit a wall. It then caught fire. Kern County Environmental Health was called to clean up a small diesel spill, which was mixing with rain. The driver of the BMW sustained head injuries. The report did not elaborate on the driver’s current medical status. Whether the driver will face criminal charges or if the injured man would sue in civil court was not known.
Are Truck Accidents Claims More Complex than Auto Accident Claims in Court?
Truck accident claims are more complicated to litigate than auto accident claims because of the additional rules and regulations involved with the trucking industry. Drivers of passenger vehicles must obey traffic laws such as not speeding, stopping at red lights, and yielding to pedestrians. Truck drivers must obey these same traffic laws. They also have to follow the rules and regulations established by the state of California and The Federal Motor Safety Regulation Act. These rules and regulations require trucking companies to:- Conduct background checks
- Conduct drug and alcohol testing
- Regulate the hours a truck driver operates a truck per day