Missouri Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

Maintenance tracking technology could be key in reducing accidents

2010-07-27T03:52:23Z

New technology has always played a role in reducing the number of injuries from car and truck accidents. Whether it's vehicles designed with crumple zones, trucks with underride bars, or improvements within passenger cabins to protect riders, new technology has been responsible for saving countless lives. The latest technological wave looking to help the trucking industry deal with incidents before they happen is a collection of new maintenance tracking programs.

While driver error is the number one cause of tractor trailer accidents, maintenance failures, especially related to braking systems, are also a major contributor to accidents and fatalities. Because of this, federal trucking regulators have passed down many guidelines for vehicle maintenance and inspections.

Tracking what maintenance needs to be done and scheduling those repairs is becoming much easier as new technology comes online. Drivers used to use paper driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIRs) to document the work that needs to be done. Companies are increasingly using electronic DVIRs and storing the information digitally as a way of making the process more efficient. Many systems are now capable of instantly having a computer schedule maintenance work and order parts as soon as the DVIR is logged.

These new technologies are not yet mandatory for companies, though it will certainly make complying with safety regulations easier if a trucking company adopts a high tech system. Hopefully all companies will find ways of using these new technologies to make their fleets safer.

Changes to roadside inspections

2010-07-25T04:17:22Z

One of the big changes to expect from Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 is the way roadside inspections on commercial vehicles will be handled and how they affect the driver. Officials hope these new changes, which include expanding inspections and holding drivers accountable, will reduce the number of tractor trailer accident injuries we see every year in this country.

The new regulations will include 275 points of inspection for a commercial truck. Over 200 of these items can be checked in a simple roadside inspection. Roadside inspectors will be conduction over 3 million inspections each year.

Drivers will have more at stake in these inspections after CSA 2010 takes full effect. A driver is to be responsible for making sure his vehicle is in safe working order before taking it on the road. If a roadside inspection turns up a violation, it will count against the driver's safety rating as well as his motor carrier company's rating. With more networks of driver information being made available and easily accessed by potential employers, drivers will want to make sure their rating is high and will be more personally invested in maintenance checks.

Hopefully these new ways of tracking drivers and trucking companies to hold them accountable for their performance will result in a safer conditions and fewer serious truck crashes.

Student from Chesterfield killed on cross-country bicycle ride

2010-07-20T21:33:54Z

Paige Hicks, 21, a Brown University student originally from Chesterfield, was killed in a tragic tractor trailer accident while she was bicycling across the country for charity.

According to various media reports, Hicks had left Providence, Rhode Island, location of Brown University, five weeks ago on a trip to Seattle for the Bike and Build charity. She stopped Tuesday in South Dakota to check messages on her cell phone. Hicks and a fellow cyclist pulled off to the shoulder to avoid traffic, but behind them was a tractor trailer, driven by Scott Wenzel, 45, hauling a farm combine. The combine was a wide load that extended past the side of the trailer and into the shoulder.

Hicks was hit and suffered fatal injuries. The no other cyclists were harmed.

Officials investigating this fatal truck accident say they will continue to look into the incident, but early indications are that no charges will be filed.

Any accidental death is certainly a tragedy, but the fact that this one took the life of a young woman working for a charity makes this accident especially saddening. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victim.

Accident with trash truck injures two

2010-07-17T04:52:57Z

George S. Bush, 50, and his mother, Ella Bush, 84, were both seriously injured in a Missouri truck accident when their pickup collided with a trash truck on Missouri Highway 28.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, both the pickup and the trash truck were heading westbound. The 2007 Freightliner Trash Truck, which was driven by Kyle Rutz, 20, was ahead of the pickup. Bush attempted to pass the large trash truck, but at that same moment, the trash truck attempted to make a left turn. The two vehicles collided causing extensive damage to both.

George and Ella Bush were both rushed to a local hospital with serious injuries. Rutz was not listed as injured on the initial report filed by the investigating officer.

There are still many details of this Missouri trash truck crash that need to be uncovered. We don't know what speed the two vehicles were traveling or if either driver signaled before making their respective maneuvers. Also, were the conditions safe for Bush to attempt to pass the trash truck.

Since there are so many complicating factors to most accidents, it is advisable to get the best legal advice possible to help you protect your rights as an accident victim. Many times, insurance companies will be working to limit the amount they have to pay accident victims. Contact a Missouri personal injury attorney to ensure you receive adequate compensation to assist in your recovery.

ATA wants to focus on driver fatigue

2010-07-13T04:05:28Z

As the FMCSA prepares the Comprehensive Safety Analysis, the American Trucking Associations have weighed in with their ideas for limiting the number of tractor trailer accidents. Their focus seems to be on combating driver fatigue.

Specifically, ATA representatives have made five suggestions:

1 - Promote sleep disorder awareness, training and screening. In particular, they want to see drivers with sleep apnea get educated on their condition.

2 - Promote fatigue risk management programs.

3 - Evaluating the use of fatigue detection devices.

4 - Provide additional parking along prominent shipping corridors so that drivers can have additional places to rest.

5 - Educate drivers on how to find the additional parking and rest stops.

Since fatigue is such a big factor in many truck accidents in Missouri and around the country, ATA officials hope these measures will go a long way to lowering the number of crashes.

Roadcheck 2010 results are in

2010-07-10T22:47:13Z

Every year for the past 22 years, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has performed a flurry of a random inspections over a three-day span called Roadcheck. With the cooperation of federal agencies here in the U.S., Canadian and Mexican transportation officials, and thousands of inspectors, a massive number of evaluations were made all across North America. The results have come in for Roadcheck 2010 and while the stats aren't surprising, they show we still have a lot of work to do if we want to prevent truck accident injuries and fatalities.

The overall compliance rates for commercial vehicles was at 80 percent while drivers passed over 95 percent of the time. Focusing specifically on passenger-carrying vehicles, the compliance rate raises to 91 percent for the vehicle and 96 percent for the driver. Commercial shipping and hazardous materials transporters had vehicle compliance rates in the 76 to 83 percent range. Most of these compliance rates are very close to, if not the same as, the 2009 rates with only the passenger-carrying vehicle compliance rate showing an increase of more than a fraction of a percent.

Simply put, an 80 percent compliance rate should be considered unacceptable for the commercial trucking industry. That means that one out of every five trucks has a violation that could contribute to a deadly tractor trailer accident. How many big rigs do you pass on your daily highway commute? A dozen? More? Knowing that, statistically speaking, every fifth truck has a potentially dangerous vehicle violation should make the severity of this problem very clear.

If you were curious, the most common vehicle defects were brake related. About half of all the out-of-service violations were because of brake issues.

Changes to expect from CSA 2010

2010-07-06T22:43:30Z

The way we track the safety records of trucking companies will be undergoing some changes in the near future and Missouri is at the forefront of the transition. Our state is helping to test the new Comprehensive Safety Analysis, or CSA, which will replace the current programs in use by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to evaluate companies and prevent Missouri tractor trailer crashes.

The evaluation process for trucking companies will be very different once the new rules take effect. Currently, a compliance review of a company examines four areas: Driver, Vehicle, Safety Management and Accidents. CSA 2010 expands the number of areas rated to seven and makes them more specifically defined. Companies will now be rated for Unsafe Driving, Fatigued Driving, Driver Fitness, Vehicle Maintenance, Improper Load Securement, Crash History and Alcohol/Drug Abuse Record. This new method should do a better job of pinpointing the exact problem areas that need to be addressed.

Another change is that drivers themselves will be directly measured and given scores independent of their company. For every violation, a weighted score will be given to both the driver and the company based on their level of responsibility and severity of the violation. These scores will stay with drivers as they move from company to company and will hopefully keep the most dangerous drivers off the road before someone is killed or injured in a truck accident they cause.

If a company or driver is given a marginal or unfit rating, they face interventions or suspensions from the FMCSA. The types of interventions will be tailored to the severity of the violation.

Hopefully these new rules will lead to more accountability in the industry. As a St. Louis personal injury lawyer, I have seen countless cases where a company or driver's negligence has lead to a tragic accident. The small percentage of companies who cause the vast majority of crashes need to be held responsible for their actions.

The limitations of tractor trailers

2010-06-26T12:52:05Z

Driving a tractor trailer or other large truck is a challenging endeavor. The shear size of these vehicles creates numerous control problems for a driver, which is why truck drivers must go through additional training to earn a CDL, or commercial driver's license. Even with extra training, tractor trailer accidents in Missouri and around the country occur every day. Sometimes these accidents are caused by other drivers who don't respect the limitation of a tractor trailer. Here are some things to keep in mind:

- Stopping distance - A tractor trailer can legally weigh up to 80,000 pounds. To put that in perspective, the average passenger car weighs somewhere in the neighborhood of 4,000 pounds. Think of the last time you had to slam on your brakes and how far your car still traveled before actually stopping. Now, multiply that by 20 and you'll get a sense of how hard it is to stop a tractor trailer. Tests have been done with fully loaded tractor trailers driving at 60 mph and, in some cases, it takes 200 to 300 feet to come to a stop. This is the number one reason not to ride directly in front of a tractor trailer on the highway.

- Blind spots - Again, even if you've never driven a tractor trailer, this is a problem that is fairly easy to visualize. Think of the blind spots on a 10 to 12 foot passenger car and then imagine how hard it must be for a truck driver with a rig well over 50 feet to be able to see his blind spots. If at all possible, try not to ride in a truck's blind spot.

- Turning radius - Somewhat connected to the last point, the length of a truck and trailer can make sharp turns a challenge. Truck drivers have to make extremely wide turns and this may catch other drivers off-guard if they are not prepared.

Respect the power and size of tractor trailers and make sure to give them plenty of room on the roadways.

Even if you do everything in your control to prevent a serious truck accident, an incident may still occur if the truck driver makes a negligent error. If you or someone you love has been involved in an accident, it is advisable to contact a Missouri personal injury attorney to learn your rights as an accident victim.

As economy improves, expect more trucks on the road

2010-06-23T19:33:36Z

The amount of freight traffic has increased in the past six months as the economy is starting to rebound and more companies are shipping goods across the country, according to an NPR report.

The report cites statistics from the American Trucking Association saying April 2010 saw 10 percent more freight traffic than April 2009. This is the result of steady growth that began at the end of last year and now the commercial trucking industry is near the levels it was before the recession.

Trucking companies have actually had to turn down shipments because they don't have the drivers to move them, according to NPR. Many companies laid off large numbers of drivers during the height of the recession and are now scrambling to replace them as the industry rebounds.

Hopefully the companies looking for new drivers follow all federal regulations regarding the hiring and screening of drivers. Statistics show that driver error is a leading cause of tractor trailer accidents in Missouri and around the country and hiring high-quality drivers without a history of violations or crashes is a way to keep these tragic accidents from happening.

This is even more important as the highways will be a little more crowded now that freight traffic is on the rise. The vast majority of drivers and companies are responsible, but it only takes a few negligent mistakes to cause a serious truck crash.

Trucking industry argues that onboard recorder rules too costly

2010-06-22T04:08:02Z

Members of various groups within the trucking industry have taken issue with rules soon to go into effect about the use of electronic onboard recorders (EOBR). They say the requirements, which companies have two years to comply with, make the technology too expensive.

EOBRs are devices installed in trucks that track many details of a how the vehicle is driven, including the number of hours on the road. These devices prevent serious tractor trailer accidents by making sure drivers comply with existing regulations. More than just being a "gotcha" device, though, many companies find their routes are becoming more efficient after examining data collected by their fleets' EOBRs.

Not everybody is happy with the new laws about the devices, however. There are two main points of contention for some in the industry: the temperature ratings and the ability to transfer data with USB Type B connectors. When the new rules take effect, an EOBR must be able to function in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius and as high as 85 degrees Celsius. Some are complaining that this range is too large and that current standards are more appropriate. Likewise, they say that most current devices are compatible with Type A USB connectors and forcing the installation of devices with Type B connectors would be an unnecessary expense for many companies.

Whatever the outcome of this discussion, hopefully regulators and industry representatives can come to a consensus that provides a safer environment on our nation's highways. If all trucks were fitted with an EOBR, not only would we see a decline in tractor trailer crash injuries, but companies will benefit by becoming more efficient which should be reflected in lower costs. One of the leading causes of accidents is driver fatigue and the Hours of Service regulations have proven themselves to be effective at fighting this problem. Any devices that further compliance with these regulations would be a welcome innovation.

New truck driver screening program launched

2010-06-20T00:18:04Z

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has launched a new program to help trucking companies screen their potential hires and weed out drivers with records of negligent driving.

The program, called simply the Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP), should greatly benefit companies who are looking to hire only the safest drivers in order to limit tractor trailer crashes. For a small fee, the company will be able to see a record of a driver's inspection history and any crashes he or she has been involved in.

The information is available to the drivers themselves as well. For a $10 fee, a driver can see the same information that is available to the trucking companies.

At the moment, use of the PSP is completely voluntary. Hopefully, though, most companies will take advantage of this new program as they hire new drivers. Statistics show that the vast majority of truck drivers have good driving records. Most tractor trailer accidents are caused by a small number of drivers and, unfortunately, in many cases these drivers are not taken off the road. They are given jobs at different companies and cause more wrecks. This new system should be a big step in keeping these repeatedly negligent drivers off the road.

Tractor trailer accident sends two Missouri residents to hospital

2010-06-19T02:17:18Z

Zona Elkins, 64, and Harold Rittenhouse, 69, were both seriously injured in a Missouri tractor trailer accident when the pickup they were riding in was struck by a large truck.

The crash took place in St. Clair County at the intersection of Missouri highways 13 and 82. At the moment, not much is known about the cause of the crash. The initial report on file with the Missouri State Highway Patrol only says that the tractor trailer, driven by Jude Rhoads, 58, was heading eastbound while the pickup, driven by Rittenhouse, was heading northbound. They both reached the intersection at the same time and Rhoads failed to yield to the smaller pickup.

Elkins and Rittenhouse were taken to local hospitals for treatment. Rittenhouse's injuries were so severe he required an emergency airlift. Rhoads was not injured, according to the investigating officer's report.

A full investigation into this Missouri truck accident will be conducted and officials will determine whether any federal trucking regulations were violated. The name of the trucking company has not yet been released.

Hours of Service laws working

2010-06-18T00:03:17Z

The Hours of Service regulations are, as the name suggests, rules that govern the number of hours that a truck driver can work in a given day or week. Limiting the number of hours that a driver is behind the wheel is the best way to fight fatigue, which is a major cause of serious tractor trailer accidents.

After numerous studies on the effects of these regulations, the results say the rules are very successful at limiting truck accidents. The Hours of Service laws we know today began to take effect in the mid 2000's. Since that time, the number of fatalities from truck accidents has taken a significant drop.

Every year since the rules took effect there has been a drop in accidents. In total, there has been more than a 20% drop in truck accident injuries and fatalities.

The effects are not surprising if you know the effect of fatigue on a driver. Mental impairment begins after someone has been awake for 16 hours. By the time a person is awake for 17 hours, they are as impaired as someone with a blood alcohol content of .05. Once you approach 19 to 20 hours awake, your response time is as limited as someone who is over the legal limit for alcohol. It's no wonder that rules designed to limit fatigued driving have had such a positive effect.

Even the American Trucking Association has embraced the new data on fatigued driving. They are now pushing for more training for drivers to make them aware of the effects of fatigue.

To read more about the specifics of the Hours of Service regulations, check out the Bradley Law Firm website.

Truck accident spills fuel in St. Louis

2010-06-15T12:50:41Z

A St. Louis truck accident dumped more than 1,600 gallons of diesel fuel across a parking lot Tuesday morning, according to a St. Louis Post Dispatch report.

The accident occurred near East Grand Avenue and Hall Street near the Procter and Gamble Plant. The incident is still being investigated and no indication has been given as to how this spill took place.

Fortunately, nobody was injured or hospitalized in the incident. According to officials quoted in the Post Dispatch, about half of the fuel spilled into the sewer.

The tanker carrying the fuel was operated by the Kiesel Co., which sent workers to assist in the cleanup. The Kiesel Co. generally has a great safety record with no serious tractor trailer crashes over the last couple years.

MoDOT dump truck crash kills Missouri teen

2010-06-05T13:32:39Z

Matthew Rudder, 17, was killed and another Missouri teen was seriously injured in an accident with a dump truck operated by MoDOT.

The accident took place just after noon at the intersection of Highway 63 and Route K. Rudder was riding in a 1997 Chevrolet S-10 pickup, driven by Christian Alvizo, 18. As the pickup traveled northbound on the highway, the MoDOT dump truck, driven by James Griffith, 25, attempted to enter the highway from Route K. According to the initial crash report on file with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Griffith failed to yield to the pickup and the dump truck struck the passenger side of the smaller truck. Both vehicles traveled through the intersection and into the grass median.

Rudder was rushed to University Hospital in Columbia where he was pronounced dead. Alvizo was also taken to University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Griffith was not listed as injured on the initial report.

The investigation into this fatal Missouri truck crash is ongoing. Local media reports say that prosecutors are waiting to receive all the facts before deciding whether to charge the driver.