What You Need to Know About Truck Accidents in Los Angeles
Being involved in a truck accident in Los Angeles can be devastating. Severe spinal cord injuries, permanent disability, lost wages, and even death are common injuries. What's more, a truck accident doesn’t just change the life of the victim -- it impacts an entire family. If you or someone you love is involved in a truck accident, you need to reach out to an experienced truck accident attorney immediately to discuss your legal rights and potential for financial recovery.
How Do Truck Accidents Happen When Drivers Are Trained?
Commercial truck drivers generally undergo extensive training, so the question is: how do truck accidents continue happen in Los Angeles? The 5, 91, and 101 freeways are constantly backed up with traffic from serious auto accidents, including truck accidents. Unfortunately, not all types of commercial trucks must be operated by a driver who has a special license. This means that some drivers may not be prepared to handle the large trucks they are driving. And just because a driver does have a truck license does not mean he or she won't make a mistake.
Truck Driving Laws
In California, truck drivers are regulated as to how much time they are allowed to spend behind the wheel before taking a break. For example, if the truck can carry one or more passengers, drivers can be on the road for 10 to 15 straight hours during the day if they received eight hours of rest prior to driving. This means that over seven days, a driver may be behind the wheel of the truck for up to 70 hours -- exhausting for even the most skilled drivers.
For trucks transporting goods, drivers must adhere to an 11 to 14 hour per day driving limit. This must come after 10 consecutive hours off duty so that the driver has had the chance to rest. Over the course of a week, a driver may be behind the wheel for a total of 70 hours.
Although these laws are important to protect truck drivers and members of the public, drivers are often subjected to unreasonable deadlines by their employer or by the whatever company contracts their services. As a result, drivers often get behind the wheel fatigued and fall asleep behind the wheel or they just can’t pay attention to the road because they are too tired. The innocent victims involved in these accidents pay the price.
Common Truck Accidents
There are a number of reasons truck accidents occur, including overloaded or improperly loaded trailers. Improperly loaded and overloaded trailers may be subject to load shifting as the driver speeds up, slows down, stops, or takes a turn, causing the driver to lose control of the truck.
Speeding is another common cause of truck accidents. Commercial trucks are larger than standard vehicles and take longer to slow down. This means they may not be able to react quickly enough to a car cutting them off, a sudden traffic jam, a light change, or a hazard in the road.
Common Injuries in California Truck Accidents
Victims of truck accidents in California may suffer from serious injuries including spinal cord injuries, paralysis, broken bones, internal injuries, and traumatic brain injuries. Because of the serious nature of truck accidents, it is imperative that a truck accident victim contacts an attorney with experience in this area. For a free, no obligation consultation about your Los Angeles truck accident, contact the attorneys at Ghozland Law Firm today.
