1) Carefully consider before getting trucks for your own business. If you want to have a truck for your business, consider who will drive the truck. How will you screen drivers? Can the drivers be trusted to remain safe?
2) If you do decide to get trucks for your business, use a little extra caution. Draw up a list of regulations for your truck drivers and delivery personnel. Insist on a driver’s log and check to make sure that your driver is qualified.
3) If you hire a truck company or delivery service, use due diligence. Research to make sure the company has a good safety record and good drivers. Consult the better business bureau and check online to see whether the company has been involved in messy legal battles.
4) Make sure the trucks carrying your products are maintained. If you have your own trucks, find a qualified mechanic and ensure that the trucks are checked and fixed regularly. Encourage your drivers to report and problems and have these fixed promptly. If you use a trucking company, ask how and where trucks are maintained – and how often. Avoid doing business with any company that does not take care of its trucks. If a truck carrying your products is in a Florida car accident, you could be named as a defendant in any Florida personal injury or wrongful death suit that arose from the accident.
5) Get the best insurance you can buy. If your company owns its own trucks, get the best liability protection you can to protect your business in the event of an accident. If you use a trucking company, get general liability protection and ask your insurance agent whether you are covered in case a truck carrying your goods is in an accident.
1) Get the best medical care possible. If you are a survivor of the accident or if another family member has survived the accident, you will want to secure the best medical care possible. This may mean negotiating with your insurance carrier to ensure that all medical costs and long-term care costs are covered.
2) Get answers. Often, after a fatal Florida trucking accident, you will have many answers about how exactly the accident occurred. A good Florida personal injury attorney can help you investigate the accident so that you understand what happened. This can help bring some peace of mind and some closure to the accident.
3) Seek counseling or help. After a Florida trucking accident, you may feel depressed, angry, upset and many other troubling emotions. If these emotions do not fade in a few weeks, you may want to speak with a compassionate therapist or counselor about your feelings. The emotional impact of a Florida trucking accident can be devastating and can leave you unable to work or unable to return to everyday activities. Counseling can help you recover.
4) Consult with a qualified Florida personal injury attorney. While making arrangements, you may not be considering the financial impact of your loss, but losing a loved one in an accident can affect your income, your children’s financial future, and your household income. If someone’s negligence or recklessness caused the accident, you could pursue a Florida wrongful death suit in order to safeguard your future and the future of your family. Even if you do not decide to file such a suit, a consultation with a good Florida personal injury attorney can apprise you of your legal rights and can help ensure that you get your full claim amount from insurance agencies.
]]>However, getting medical care after a Florida truck accident can be a challenge for many patients. If you are in a Florida truck accident, you will generally be taken to the closest Florida hospital for immediate treatment. If you are unconscious, you may not be able to act as your own health advocate. It can take emergency personnel some time to reach your family doctor and to recover your records. Mistakes can happen in the high-pressure environment of the emergency room. This is why after serious accident, Florida medical malpractice suits are common.
Another problem with getting quality medical care after a Florida truck accident is cost. Truck accidents can cause serious or even permanent injuries and the total cost of treating these injuries can be very high. Many insurance companies only pay for part of the treatment involved and do not consider long-term costs of the injury. For example, many Florida spinal cord injury patients find that long-term rehabilitation costs, home care costs, and other costs are not considered. The first few years of treatment may be covered by insurance, but subsequent costs may not be.
Another problem is that insurance carriers do not always cover all the costs of an injury, leaving the patient with thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs after a Florida truck accident. For example, many Florida burn injury patients find that their insurance company is not willing to pay for skin grafts and other procedures, even though such procedures are necessary to recover fully from the injury. Many insurance companies label all such procedures as “cosmetic.” As well, many insurance companies may not cover therapy, counseling, and other services which may be important to a full recovery.
When patients choose not to get some treatments after their Florida truck accident due to financial or insurance reasons, complications can sometimes occur. Not getting the best treatment right away can mean delays in recovery or can mean a less-than-full-recovery. Not getting some of the treatments that insurance companies label “cosmetic” may make it hard to recover the life lived before an accident.
Many Florida trucking accident victims have found that seeking the help of a qualified Florida personal injury attorney can help. A good personal injury attorney can negotiate with insurance providers after a Florida trucking accident to ensure that you get the full claim money you are entitled to. A good Florida personal injury attorney can also make recommendations to you that can help ensure the best quality medical care. After thoroughly investigating your accident, a Florida truck accident attorney can also ensure that everyone who has caused the accident is held accountable, so that you get all the medical and financial resources you need to recover as fully as possible.
]]>1) Paying medical bills. You may be uninsured or underinsured for the serious injuries that you can sustain in a truck accident. As well, you will inevitably find that your insurance provider does not cover all the costs associated with your injuries. For example, many Florida burn injury patients find that their health insurance does not cover skin grafts and other so-called “cosmetic” surgery, even though such surgery may be necessary for full recovery. As well, brain injuries and spinal cord injuries may require years of rehabilitation and treatment, and not all of this is usually covered by insurance. Health care costs can be devastating, which is why it is vital to speak to a qualified Florida personal injury attorney after your truck accident. A good attorney can give you good advice and can help ensure that you have the financial resources you need to get the best quality medical care for your injuries.
2) Dealing with lost wages. If you have been injured in a Florida car accident involving a truck, you will likely miss work. In addition, you may need to miss work in order to meet with your Florida personal injury attorney or in order to visit your insurance company or doctor after your accident. If you have sustained a serious injury, you may not be able to return to work for weeks or months. In the event of a permanent injury, you may not be able to return to work at all. A good Florida personal injury attorney can help ensure that you are compensated for your lost wages, so that you do not have to worry about losing your home or ruining your credit rating.
3) Getting a car get fixed. You probably rely on your car for basic transportation, so after a Florida truck accident, it will be a priority to get your car repaired – or replaced, if your vehicle is beyond repair. A good Florida personal injury attorney can speak with car insurance providers on your behalf, can help arrange for a rental, and can work with you to ensure that you can keep driving.
4) Deciding to seek legal action. After a truck accident, you will need to determine whether the accident was caused by someone’s recklessness or negligence and you will need to decide whether to file a legal action. This can be a difficult decision to make, especially if you are dealing with an injury at the same time. A good Florida personal injury attorney can help you understand the legal terms and issues affecting your case, so that you can make an informed decision about what to do next.
5) Problems with insurance companies. If you pay your insurance premiums faithfully, you may assume that your insurance provider will be there for you after your Florida trucking accident. This is not always the case. Your insurance company may claim the accident was your fault or may try to assert that your claim is suspicious and may delay in processing your claim. The insurance company for the trucking company may also pressure you to sign papers or make a statement you do not quite understand. Make no mistake: problems with an insurance company can deprive you of your rights and can make it hard for you to recover all the damages you may be entitled to under Florida law. Speak to a Florida personal injury attorney before negotiating with any insurance provider. An attorney can negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf to ensure that there are no problems with your claim.
Under current rules, truck drivers are to rest for eight hours out of their ten hour rest period in their truck cab. This allows drivers to rest for eight hours in their cab and drive for six hours under the current 14 hour limit for driving. Despite concerns about safety, in 2004 and 2007 courts upheld decisions which allow drivers to drive many hours consecutively. Decisions and industry practices have also reduced the amount of time that drivers have to rest.
In October 2010, the new proposals made by the trucking industry to reduce rest hours even more were rejected by the Obama administration. The decision came after heavy lobbying from Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Public Citizen, the Truck Safety Coalition, and the Teamsters Union.
Truck drivers are also opposed to the new suggestions and proposals, noting that such regulations make Florida pedestrian accidents and truck accidents more likely. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has asked federal regulators to reject proposals which would increase the driving limit to 11 hours and would allow drivers to be on the road again for a new week after only 34 hours of rest.
It’s not just a quality of work issue. It’s a safety issue. Fatigued drivers are simply more dangerous drivers. Experts have proven that fatigued driving can be as dangerous as drunk driving and note that HOS rules should be as strict as Florida drunk driving laws and regulations. Tired commercial truck drivers are driving tens of thousands of pounds of metal and sometimes hazardous materials. When tired, these drivers are more likely to be in traffic accidents. Ensuring that commercial truck drivers get adequate rest is an important part of keeping Florida streets safe.
]]>Specifically, the program will allow truckers to enjoy in-cab electricity in order to fuel air conditioning, heating, and gadgets in the cab when truckers stop for a rest. Currently, many truck stops require truckers to idle their engines in order to run electricity to fuel many amenities in their sleeper cabs. The current system wastes fuel and produces more exhaust. Advocates of the new program say that the program will help in many ways:
1) It will reduce fuel use of big trucks. Not only is this environmentally friendly, but it will save the trucking industry money, which could mean less pressure on truck companies to push drivers to drive longer than is safe.
2) It will reduce exhaust and pollution. This will mean that truck drivers and workers at truck stops will be healthier. Exhaust from engines can cause dizziness, sleepiness, and other symptoms which are definitely dangerous symptoms for someone driving an 80,000 pound truck.
3) It will reduce wear and tear on commercial truck engines and other crucial systems. Advocates believe the program will help reduce Florida truck accidents and traffic accidents by keeping trucks in better shape for longer. Since the trucks will not need to idle as long, trucks will suffer less damage, which will make them safer on Florida’s roads.
4) It will mean better quality rest for truckers. Keeping a large commercial truck idling produces a lot of noise as well as exhaust. If a driver has to keep his or her truck idling while they sleep in order to heat or cool the cab, the noise and pollution can affect the quality of sleep. In turn, fatigued drivers are at a higher risk of Florida truck accidents than well-rested drivers.
The Daily Beast and The Orlando Business Journal compiled their data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to The Daily Beast, between 2004 and 2008, the 100 days where most car accidents and truck accidents take place are in June, July, and August, making this season the most dangerous for drivers. During these three months between 2004 and 2008, 50,765 fatal traffic accidents took place. While highway fatal accidents have been decreasing nationally over the past five years, the summer months still usually bring a sharp spike in Florida truck accidents and car accidents.
The I-95 in Florida was dubbed by researchers as the deadliest highway in the nation because between 2004 and 2008, 662 fatal Florida car accidents and truck accidents took place over the 382.15 m stretch that the I-95 covers. The 132.39 mile I-4 in Florida saw 209 fatal Florida truck accidents and car accidents in the same period. The 470.88 miles of the I-75 saw 536 fatal Florida traffic accidents between 2004 and 2008.
In many cases, Florida car accidents on these roads are in fact car-truck collisions. Large interstates are where trucks and cars tend to share the road most, and unless both car and truck drivers are very careful, accidents can easily occur. Trucks take longer to stop than passenger vehicles and have many blind spots. These differences need to be respected by all drivers to help prevent accidents on Florida’s roads. Car-truck collisions on the I-4, I-95, I-75 and other large highways are likely to be fatal. The high speed at which vehicles travel on these roadways, coupled with the disparity in size and force between trucks and cars create dangerous collisions.
However, even if you do not drive on the I-4, I-95, or I-75, you cannot be complacent. Florida truck accidents can and do occur on just about every street. In fact, statistically, the streets you drive most often are also the riskiest for you. You are more likely to be in a Florida truck accident or car accident on the highways and streets you drive each day. Even in familiar surroundings, it is important to keep alert and stay aware of other trucks and drivers on the road.
While the CMVSA has helped reduce truck accidents, there are still far too many truck accidents on our roads. After a truck accident, one thing that occurs is a thorough investigation of the accident in order to determine what caused the collision. Florida truck accidents may be investigated by police, private investigators, or other groups.
An investigation will often include a look at a driver’s logs. Under Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, drivers are required to record their breaks, driving time, and other information. This helps ensure that drivers take the required breaks and rests they are required to keep by law. Drivers are not allowed to destroy these logs, especially after an accident. Investigators can examine these logs to determine whether a truck driver was driving while tired.
If authorities suspect that a truck accident may have been a Florida drunk driving accident, they will often test a truck driver’s blood alcohol level and test for any illegal or controlled drugs as well. A driver’s medical record and medication may also be checked.
Investigators will also often examine the mechanical conditions of an accident. This may require examining the weather, road conditions, and the traffic at the time of an accident. Investigators sometimes use accident reconstruction software to determine exactly what occurred during a collision in specific conditions.
Most investigations will also examine trucking company records to determine whether a load was secured properly, whether a truck was maintained properly, and whether a trucking company took reasonable measures to keep the truck and the driver safe. Truck companies are required to maintain and release records when requested.
1) Hands-free technology does not help prevent a driver from being absorbed by a conversation. The problem with cell phone calls is not just that the driver has to dial a number. Rather, while a driver is talking on the phone, he or she becomes absorbed in a conversation or discussion, and this causes less focus on the road. This will not be prevented by hands-free phones.
2) Hands-free technology can affect what a driver hears. A truck driver using Bluetooth or other hands-free technology is often wearing a device that can affect their ability to hear. This can allow drivers to miss important auditory clues – which can easily lead to a Florida pedestrian accident or other terrific accident.
3) Bluetooth still means emotions. Drivers who are talking – whether hands-free or using a device – get emotionally charged while chatting. The link between strong emotion and distracted driving is well established. The more emotional a driver is, the less focused he or she is on the road. For a commercial truck driver, this means less control over a vehicle that could weigh 80 000 pounds or more.
4) Hands-free technology is often not hands-free. There are still buttons, wires, and devices to adjust. If a truck driver does not pull over to adjust settings, the result could still be a Florida truck accident.
CVSA’s Interim Executive Director, Stephen A. Keppler, announced the launch of the "Teens & Trucks" campaign by noting that teens and younger drivers between 16 and 24 years old do not recognize that larger commercial trucks are different than other vehicles on the roads. This, as well as unsafe behaviors lead to truck accidents. In fact, according to the CVSA, 5390 teen causalities between 2003 and 2007 involving trucks can be directly attributed to this failure to recognize the difference between trucks and passenger vehicles.
The "Teens & Trucks" campaign is partnered with American Trucking Associations, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and state industry groups to help teens learn about driving skills near commercial trucks. Groups hope that by teaching teens the importance of commercial trucks and driving skills, many truck accidents can be prevented. The program aims to help reach teens before bad driving habits develop. The campaign will strive to teach teen drivers about the larger blind spots that trucks have and teach teens that trucks take longer to stop. The hope is that once teens understand the need to drive differently around commercial trucks, the rates of truck accidents will drop.
The "Teens & Trucks" campaign will be available to driving instructors, schools, and parents. Information is available through no-cost handouts, DVDs, workbooks, manuals, and other education materials. Parents of teen drivers and instructors can learn more at www.teensandtrucks.com.
The campaign will likely be especially important for Florida truck accident rates. Since Florida has many port cities, it has many trucks on the roads. Commercial trucks take cargo from ships in ports and transport them all over the nation. Teen drivers in Florida frequently share the road with trucks, putting them at a heightened risk of Florida truck accidents.
CVSA-certified inspectors in Florida check driver’s logs, truck brakes, tiedowns, tires, and other parts of a truck or bus when a truck or bus pulls in for inspection. By providing these inspections, CVSA-certified inspectors can help remove unsafe trucks and buses from the roads before those vehicles cause Florida bus accidents or truck accidents. Inspectors can also make recommendations for maintenance to ensure that trucks and buses are road-worthy.
The North American Inspectors Championship (NAIC) includes candidates from all over the continent. The theme for the 2010 competition – the 18th hosted by the CVSA -- is ‘Education, Performance, Uniformity, and Partnerships.’ Each candidate is evaluated based on seven criteria:
1) North American Standard Level I Inspection Procedures
2) North American Standard Level I Inspection
3) North American Standard Hazardous Materials/Transportation of Dangerous Goods Inspection
4) North American Standard Motorcoach (Level V Passenger Vehicle) Inspection
5) North American Standard Cargo Tank/ Bulk Packaging Inspection
6) North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria Exam
7) Personal Interview
Based on these criteria, the NAIC will award prizes for inspectors who show the greatest acuity and professionalism. The CSVA hopes that the inspector awards will make motorists more aware of the dedication of CVSA-certified inspectors in preventing truck accidents. The event may also raise awareness of the importance of standardized truck inspections. It is also a good opportunity to thank the CVSA-certified inspectors who help prevent Florida car accidents involving trucks and buses.
According to researchers at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, truck drivers who text while driving are 23 times as likely as an undistracted driver to get into a car accident or truck accident. Car drivers are still more likely to get into a Florida car accident when they text, but their risk is not as high. As well, researchers found that when car drivers dial a cell phone, they are 2.8 times more likely to be in a traffic accident as undistracted drivers. Truck drivers, however, are 5.9 times as likely to be in a crash for the same activity.
Other risky distracted driver behaviors are also more risky for truck drivers than for drivers of passenger vehicles. For example, when a car driver reaches for an electronic device, they risk of being in a car accident is 1.4 times higher than the risk for an undistracted driver. Reaching for a device increases a truck driver’s risky by 6.7 times.
It’s easy to understand why distracted driving is risky. Most drivers need to focus on their cell phones or portable devices when dialing, texting, or talking. As well, most drivers look away from the road when using electronic devices. According to researchers, when drivers are distracted by an electronic device, they spend five out of six seconds not looking at the road. Many Florida pedestrian accidents and traffic accidents occur precisely because drivers do not see what is directly in front of them.
However, while it is easy to see why electronic devices are more dangerous for all drivers, why do truck drivers seem to have a disproportionate risk when using these devices on the road? Experts have many theories. One theory is that trucks simply require more effort and skill to drive. As well, since trucks take longer than passenger vehicles to stop, it is possible that truck drivers who are distracted are simply less able to react in time to prevent an accident.
The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study used videos of drivers taken between 2004 and 2007 to see how drivers reacted to driving when using cell phones. Researchers concluded that even when drivers use hands-free cell phones, they are increasing their risk of accidents. Researchers of the study recommended that all drivers avoid all electronic devices and gadgets when driving.
To understand Florida brain injuries caused by truck accidents, it is important to understand the brain. The brain is protected by the scalp, which is made of connective tissues, skin, hair, and muscle. It is 5-7 mm thick. Below this is the skull, which provides even more protection for the brain. The skull is actually made up of eight bones and is between 4-7 mm thick in various places. The skull allows nerves and arteries to enter and leave the brain and at the base of the spine is the brain stem as well as the start of the spinal cord. Many Florida spinal cord injuries caused by trucking accidents are in fact caused by injury to this part of the head.
Inside the skull, the brain is even more protected by membranes. There are in fact three layers of these membranes. The meninges support the nerves and blood vessels carrying oxygen and other necessities to the brain. They also separate the bone of the skull from the brain. The meninges further help protect the brain because they are lubricated by a nutrient-rich cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is also found in the spaces within the brain.
Although the brain is obviously well protected, it simply cannot protect itself from the force and impact of a Florida trucking accident. When a head injury occurs as a result of a traffic accident, two types of brain injuries can take place: focal or diffuse injuries. Focal injuries are localized injuries, such as bruising on one or two areas of the brain. Diffuse injuries affect the entire brain or a large amount of the brain. Concussions and swelling of the brain due to brain trauma are examples of diffuse brain injuries. About three quarters of brain injuries caused by traffic accidents are diffuse injuries.
Concussions after a Florida trucking accident are quite common and can range from very mild cases requiring almost no treatment to very severe concussions that include skull fracture as well as bruising of the brain. If a patient does not regain consciousness within the first 24 hours, the prognosis is generally poor. In one out of five such patients, a good recovery can still occur and fatalities can affect up to 7% of such cases.
In cases where a Florida truck accident results in burn injuries to the face, multiple skull fractures, penetration of the skull by a foreign object, or cerebral contusion, the diagnosis and prognosis can be even more grim. Many patients with these complications face severe nervous tissue damage. The fatality rate is high and patients who recover may not be able to recover all their mobility, memory, or speech functions. Some patients who recover may require care for the rest of their lives.
1) Medical bills. Most patients have medical bills in the tens of thousands of dollars or more. While medical insurance and car insurance can cover some of these bills, in many cases insurance providers balk at paying the entire amount, leaving the patient still paying for some necessary treatment themselves. Underinsured or uninsured patients face an even more frightening amount of medical bills. Florida brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and other serious injuries can be expensive enough to send even prosperous people into bankruptcy.
2) Lost income. Most patients who have been in a Florida truck accident lose weeks or even months of work time, causing a loss of income. Some patients sustain permanent injuries and can never return to work again. Yet, bills and debts must still be paid.
3) On-going treatment. After the initial round of medical bills, most patients face even more care bills for on-going treatment. Florida spinal cord injury patients, for example, may need months of rehabilitation or physiotherapy. Such costs can add up to the thousands of dollars.
4) Additional treatment, such as psychological counseling or cosmetic surgery. Some treatments are needed to fully recover from an accident, but may not be covered under medical coverage. For example, Florida burn injury patients may require cosmetic surgery in order to regain the confidence and the life they lead before their accident. Such “additional” treatments may need to be paid entirely by patients, unless patients work closely with a good Florida personal injury attorney to have such important costs covered.
5) Property damage. A truck accident may damage a great deal of property. You may need to replace a car, a work laptop and any items you may have had in your car. While car insurance will usually cover replacement of your vehicle, you may need to pay for some or all of the costs of replacing your personal effects.
6) Home alterations. After a truck accident, many patients have changed mobility and may need to make expensive home repairs in order to live in their homes. For example, spinal cord injury patients may need to install ramps, elevators, grab bars, and other equipment. Such renovations can easily costs tens of thousands of dollars.
1) Questions of blame. In some cases, insurance companies or trucking companies may claim that a victim is partly to blame for a truck accident – even if this is not necessarily the case. If a motorist is unfairly blamed for an accident, they may feel extreme guilt and may face insurance rate increases.
2) Access to care problems. Many serious Florida spinal cord injuries, burn injuries, brain injuries, and other long-term conditions are caused by truck accidents. However, some victims have a hard time finding the resources and medical care they need. Patients may not have the financial resources to cover large medical costs or may not know all their care options. A good Florida personal injury attorney can often help patients find the care their need.
3) Misinformation. Some patients are told that they will not qualify for compensation or a claim unless they sign certain documents right away. Sometimes, this causes a patient to sign away all their rights before they consult with a qualified Florida personal injury lawyer.
4) Emotional upset. Many patients are on a rollercoaster of emotions after a truck accident. They may feel guilty, anxious, angry, depressed, and a host of other strong emotions. Some patients have a hard time returning to normal activities while others experience relationship troubles as a result of the upheaval.
5) Work-related challenges. Some patients cannot return to work after an accident, due to serious injury. For some Florida spinal cord injury and brain injury patients who have suffered in a truck accident, a return to work is impossible because of permanent injuries. Not being able to work often increases anxiety about money and also makes patients feel more upset about their situation.
6) Money worries. Most Florida truck accident victims face income loss and substantial medical bills. Some patients need to refit their homes or pay for expensive on-going treatment to deal with permanent or long-term injuries. Finding the money to pay for all these expenses is often very difficult without a good Florida personal injury attorney. An attorney can help protect you from lowball offers and can help ensure you get a fair settlement that allows you to recover as fully as possible.