If you were driving anywhere in North Texas in the past few days, you may have gotten stuck in some lengthy back ups. Police had their hands full helping victims, clearing the wreckage and investigating two major truck crashes.
On Monday on Loop 820 in Fort Worth, a westbound tractor tumbled over the barrier and crashed to the ground level embankment between the two elevated lanes. The trailer teetered precariously along the edge of the guardrail for hours, with its back wheels still propped over the road. Here’s a photo of this crazy crash. Four people sustained injuries, one serious, but miraculously nobody was killed in the crash. Several lanes of the highway were shut down for hours while crews removed the Texas Lone Star Materials 18-wheeler.
On Tuesday there was a second catastrophic wreck between a dump truck, a trash truck and a tractor-trailer in Arlington. Tragically, the driver of the trash truck died in the crash. The trash truck was speeding around a corner when it clipped the tractor-trailer and overturned. The dump truck then rammed into the wreckage.
And I was just retained in a major collision case where a trash truck and truck collided in Fort Worth last week, causing serious injuries to two people.
Do drivers need more training?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reported that driver error was a factor in 87 percent of tractor-trailer crashes. Clearly, eliminating driver errors would substantially minimize numbers of crashes.
Operating a commercial vehicle takes experience, skill and alertness. One “minor” mistake could have tragic results for the driver and the public. This is why truckers need a special license that indicates they are prepared to accept this responsibility.
In addition, trucking corporations are responsible for their drivers and should train them to maneuver the vehicles in their fleets. Safety should be of utmost importance.
But with trucking companies watching costs, on-the-job training might seem superfluous to the primary goal of making a profit. So making driver training a legal obligation would equal the playing field and force trucking corporations to do the right thing.
If we could pinpoint that 87 percent of X contributes to heart disease, cancer or the flu, we would take preventative action. Our lawmakers and trucking businesses have an opportunity to take clear, effective steps to prevent many of these accidents.
Recovery for tractor-trailer injuries
Texas is the most dangerous state in the U.S. for fatal collisions involving tractor-trailers. Last year, there were 553 fatalities here — about 10 each week. Thousands more were injured, some seriously.
Berenson Injury Law has dedicated 36 years to helping victims of car and truck crashes recover for their injuries. If you have unfortunately been injured in a Fort Worth or Dallas accident with an 18 wheeler, call or email my Fort Worth law office to schedule a free consultation.
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