Bad Visibility and No Reflectors

One of major causes of truck accidents on the roads of America is the lack of visibility by truck drivers of other vehicles on the roads. Another factor that plays a role in this type of accident includes a lack of reflectors on the truck that help other vehicles see the truck from a distance. In 1999, the federal government created a law requiring that all tractor-trailers carry reflectors that outline the bottom edge of the trailer. The FHA, Federal Highway Administration, claimed that the change would prevent drivers from plowing into the side of the truck or driving under the truck. The FHA estimated that this change would save 100 lives and prevent 1,700 injuries over the next 10 years. As of 2009, commercial trucks cause 5,000 deaths and 130,000 injuries annually on the roads of the United States.

Causes

Accidents happen almost every minute of the day on the roads of the country with roughly 3 percent of these accidents involving commercial trucks. If commercial trucks do not have the proper reflectors installed, other vehicles will not be able to properly see the truck ahead of them, next to them, or behind them. When a smaller vehicle cannot see the side of a truck, especially at night, and tries to change lanes this can be a recipe for disaster. The smaller vehicle might become lodged under the truck, causing serious damage to the car and injuries that can be fatal.

Liability

The liability in this type of accident falls on the truck driver and the trucking company. All trucks purchased by a trucking company should come equipped with reflectors. If they are not equipped with reflectors then the company is responsible for equipping the trucks with the necessary reflectors for visibility. If the company does not perform this task then the company will be held liable. In addition, if the truck driver notices his or her truck does not have reflectors he or she should refuse to head out on the road until the proper safety precautions are taken. If not, the driver and the company can be held liable.

Injuries and Compensation

Victims of this type of accident can suffer from trauma, emotional stress, broken bones, burns, lacerations, fractures, severed limbs, concussions, comas and much more. The victims of this accident can receive compensation for pain and suffering, loss of wages, repair costs, medical bills, hospital bills, punitive damages, funeral costs, court fees, and legal fees.

Legal Help

If you or a loved one has been injured in a reflector and visibility commercial truck accident, contact an attorney immediately for expert legal advice regarding your case. The attorney will be able to perform an in depth investigation to obtain all of the evidence needed to prove that the truck driver and the trucking company were liable for the accident and the resulting injuries.