Posts tagged "truck accidents"

Whenever a motorcycle collides with another vehicle, the potential for serious personal injuries is very high. Unlike drivers who are surrounded by a vehicle and are protected by a multitude of safety features, riders have very little personal protection in the event of a motorcycle accident.

Motorcycle accidents often result in brain injuries, injuries to the spinal cord and back, broken bones, and painful road rash injuries. These injuries often require serious medical attention and surgery. In addition, recovery from these injuries often means a loss in income during the time that the injured motorcyclist is unable to work.

Accidents involving buses and trucks on San Jose roads are among the most devastating type of accidents we see. When large vehicles cause an accident, the potential for serious injuries is very high. Many recent accidents involving commercial vehicles have been attributed to driver fatigue, and the problems of driver fatigue are gaining increased attention from safety regulators.

The National Transportation Safety Board held a hearing in recent weeks to talk with industry experts and federal safety official about what could be done to minimize and prevent fatal bus and truck accidents.

In November, a 47-year-old Los Altos Hills bicyclist was killed when she was involved in an accident with a truck on Alpine Road in San Mateo County. The woman's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the truck driver and his employer, Randazzo Enterprises.

An initial investigation by the California Highway Patrol determined that the woman caused the accident when she unsafely turned on Alpine Road. As trial approaches, both the plaintiff and defendants are attempting to shift the responsibility for the accident to the county for maintaining a dangerous stretch of road.

A recent study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has found that the rear-end barriers attached to semi-trucks are often not strong enough to absorb the impact of a rear-end collision. When these barriers fail, passenger vehicles can slide under the back of trailers, causing truck underride accidents. Truck underride accidents always have the potential to cause grievous bodily injuries.

The study found that if a car or other small vehicle collides into the rear end of a semi-truck with a rear-end barrier that met the minimum federal safety requirements, the barrier will fail. When the barrier fails, the front end of the car will slide underneath the trailer, causing the trailer to slam through the windshield and into the passenger compartment, leading to serious injuries and fatalities.

In our last post, we covered the basics of safe travel tips for the winter and rainy season. In this post, we would like to share some tips that will help you avoid an accident in your Thanksgiving travels, even in good weather.

Vehicle Condition:

Make sure your tires are inflated and have good tread on them; bald tires have very little traction on wet roads. Also, make certain your windshield wipers are in good condition and have plenty of windshield washer fluid in the reservoir. Make sure your engine and brakes are not making any unusual noises before leaving.

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