Crash between truck and bus in New Jersey injures 10
Federal law prohibits texting and driving and restricts driving hours for truck drivers to prevent accidents.
Accidents involving large trucks are frequently more serious than the usual accidents between passenger vehicles. The size and speed of an 18-wheeler, in addition to its unwieldiness in traffic, can create a deadly combination. New Jersey residents often have to share the road with commercial trucks on the state’s highways and other roads, which means that it’s always possible to be involved in an accident caused by an inattentive or reckless truck driver.
In fact, more people are in large truck crashes today than in years past. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, 3,921 people were killed throughout the United States in commercial truck collisions in 2012, a 3.7 percent increase from the year before. Those who aren’t killed face serious trauma, including injuries that can take months to heal or even become debilitating.
Authorities target two main causes of truck crashes
According to State Farm, there are numerous common causes of truck accidents. These may include:
- Poor weather or road conditions
- Improperly loaded cargo
- Speeding or reckless driving
- Truck malfunction, particularly faulty brakes
However, two of the most pervasive factors affecting truck drivers today are fatigue and distraction. It’s no secret that truck drivers work long hours behind the wheel, which frequently contributes to crashes. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has enacted provisions that restrict truckers’ driving hours to 11 hours a day, for a maximum of 70 hours in a work week. This is a decrease from the previous restriction of 82 driving hours in a week. After resting for 34 consecutive hours, truck drivers are permitted to drive again.
The administration also strictly prohibits the use of hand-held mobile devices while driving, a major cause of distraction for many drivers. This includes texting while driving or talking on a cellphone that isn’t hands-free. Truck drivers may lose their commercial license and face heavy fines for breaking this law.
Bus passengers injured in New Jersey truck collision
It is unknown whether distracted or drowsy driving were factors in a December 2014 crash involving a tractor-trailer and a commuter bus, although either scenario is possible. According to NJ.com, the truck driver attempted to change lanes on the New Jersey Turnpike and hit a bus in the left center lane. In the crash, 10 people were injured, including two with serious injuries. Authorities were still investigating what caused the accident.
If you were hurt in a crash caused by a negligent truck driver, you may be entitled to the compensation of your medical expenses. Contact an experienced personal injury attorney to discuss your options.
Keywords: truck, accident, injury