Accident on East U.S. 50 Involves Big Rig and Two Sedans
A traffic injury happened in an accident with a big rig on December 13 in Sacramento. The accident involved a black sedan and a Nissan Sentra, as well as a big rig pulling a white box trailer. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), it occurred along eastbound U.S. 50 just west of the 15th Street exit ramp shortly before 10:00 a.m.
Medical Assistance Called to the Traffic Injury Scene
The big rig ended up blocking the slow lane while the two sedans were on the right-hand side of the road. One individual involved in the accident said they required medical assistance, and first responders with the Sacramento Fire Department were called to the scene to assess injuries. No information was released on whether that individual received treatment at the traffic injury scene or was taken to a hospital. The CHP is conducting an investigation into the accident to place fault and determine how it occurred.
Traffic Injury With a Big Rig
Due to the size and weight differential, an accident between a passenger vehicle and a big rig can have catastrophic results. An injury attorney with experience in handling trucking accidents can help get fair compensation for an injured person. The number of passenger vehicle injuries and deaths far exceeds those associated with a big rig driver or other occupants. This is basically due to the vulnerability of the passenger vehicle occupants. Not only do trucks weigh 20 to 30 times the weight of a passenger vehicle, but they also have much greater ground clearance. This sets the stage for an underride or override accident.
Braking in a Big Rig
Traffic injury in an accident between a big rig and a passenger vehicle often is increased by the truck’s inability to brake quickly. This is due to the momentum of the truck as compared to a smaller car. For instance, a truck takes 20 to 40 times further than a car to come to a complete stop. This can be enhanced by poorly maintained brakes. It is worse on slippery or wet roads and on high-speed corridors.
Poor brake maintenance can play a major role in a lawsuit. Not only is the driver implicated, but so is the trucking company.
Truck Driver Fatigue
Driver fatigue is a major crash risk factor in a traffic injury accident between a big rig and a passenger vehicle. Federal regulations stipulate how many hours a trucker can drive at a single stretch. Studies have shown that a good number of truckers violate this law and drive too long, leading to trucker fatigue.
Investigating a Big Rig Traffic Injury
Investigating an accident with a big rig differs in some ways from that involving other vehicles. For instance, it is necessary for our investigators to determine if the trucker was following federal and state laws concerning trucks when the traffic injury occurred. This includes following federal standards that obligate the trucker to rest a certain number of hours before driving again. As with all of the trucker’s movements throughout the trip, this will be found in the logs, usually in an electronic format.
Other information that is critical in determining liability includes brake and tire inspections and maintenance. This needs to be done on a regular basis, and repairs must be made before the truck is allowed to be used again.
Our investigators also use forensic reconstruction techniques that show the placement of the vehicles before, during, and after the accident. We obtain video footage from traffic surveillance cameras and other sources. Police reports are also reviewed for inaccuracies since they are used in insurance company negotiations and in civil court.
Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer
I am Ed Smith, and I am a Sacramento personal injury lawyer. If you are involved in a trucking accident, turn to me for free and friendly advice. You can contact me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400, or use our contact form online.
I’ve helped Sacramentans since 1982 obtain the compensation they deserve in all manner of car accidents, wrongful death, cases, and traumatic injuries.
I am pleased that I am a member of the following organizations:
Learn more about my practice by clicking on the following links:
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/car-accident-broken-glass-splatter-337764/
:cd llo [cs 730]