Maryland Truck Accident Lawyer
With 16 interstate highways and a major port on the Atlantic, Maryland is witness to a high volume of semi-truck tractor-trailer traffic day and night across the state. While truck traffic is vital to the state’s economy, sharing the road with big rigs and 18-wheelers can be especially treacherous to occupants of much smaller, lighter passenger vehicles. See below for more information about truck accident dangers, and call Maryland truck accident lawyers Steinhardt, Siskind & Lieberman, LLC if you have been hurt in a truck accident.
Common Truck Accident Dangers and Problems
The average passenger vehicle may weigh between 3,000 and 5,000 pounds. In contrast, a fully-loaded tractor-trailer may weigh from 60,000 to 80,000 pounds. This differential means a tremendous amount of force is delivered to the passenger vehicle in an impact, frequently with catastrophic or deadly results. The enormous size and weight of a semi-truck also requires a responsible truck driver to leave more distance between the truck and other vehicles, as a big rig needs additional time and space to come to a stop in an emergency, compared to other vehicles on the road.
Another danger created by the size of a single or double tractor-trailer is the number of blind spots that are present. These blind spots exist on both sides of the truck and can extend for one or two lanes; additional blind spots are present behind the trailer for several car lengths and directly in front of the cab as well. Prudent truckers signal their intentions to change lanes or turn well in advance. Trucks making wide right turns from inside lanes can squeeze and crush cars on the outside lane when the automobile driver didn’t know the truck was turning.
Perhaps the greatest risk facing people sharing the road with long-haul truckers is the problem of truck driver fatigue. Truckers put in long hours behind the wheel to get to their destination faster, and some use stimulants to stay awake, which studies have shown can have negative effects on attention and driving ability. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has rules and regulations in place that limit the length of time a truck driver can be on duty or behind the wheel, but these rules are influenced by the trucking industry lobby and allow truck drivers to work 11-hour shifts over seven or eight-day workweeks. Surprisingly, truckers frequently violate even these generous limits! Roadside inspections frequently turn up truckers in violation of FMCSA hours of service rules. Other serious yet common violations include unlicensed drivers and trucks with out of adjustment brakes or tires so bad that the trucks are immediately pulled from service. Given the rate at which truck drivers and semis are placed out of service during roadside inspections, there must be thousands of big rigs on the road right now in violation of federal safety rules.
After an accident, truckers and trucking companies may falsify logs and records to make it appear they are in compliance with federal safety laws when they actually aren’t. At Steinhardt, Siskind & Lieberman, LLC, our experienced Maryland truck accident lawyers know how to investigate a truck accident and uncover the facts. Our lawyers work hard to build a strong case proving the liability of the trucking company, and we are not afraid to go up against the biggest companies in court if necessary to get injury victims the compensation they need and deserve after being hurt in a serious truck accident.
Call Today for Immediate Legal Assistance after a Serious Maryland Truck Accident
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Maryland trucking accident, call Steinhardt, Siskind & Lieberman, LLC at our offices in Glen Burnie, Owings Mills, Ellicott City or Annapolis. We travel the state helping injury victims like you, and we work hard to get you the money you need and deserve after a serious truck accident caused by another’s negligence. Your consultation is free, and there are no attorney fees or expenses unless we win your case. Call our experienced Maryland truck accident lawyers at 410-766-7630 or toll free at 866-902-4111.
