Anywhere you look, whether it be on 5th Avenue in New York City or Route 17 in South Carolina, 18-wheelers are a constant presence. They are the only way to transport many things in and around our country due to their size. However, that size can often present a danger and lead to accidents and injuries.
One truck accident can cause severe damage and devastaion. The Cross Bronx Expressway, between the Throgs Neck Bridge and the George Washington Bridge here in New York, is the site of many a truck accident each year. Not only do these large accidents completely block off roadways and cause hours upon hours of traffic and backups, they also lead to serious human injury and death.
These trucks usually far outweigh any other vehicles on the road, so they often top other vehicles for causing the most damage and fatalities in the event of an accident. Yes, most drivers are well-trained and experienced with these types of large-scale machines and vehicles, accidents still occur frequently. Truck drivers spend long hours on the road and have the potential to become tired and possibly fall asleep at the wheel. They are also large and in close settings, surrounded by other small cars that might not be extremely easy to see. Also, on a busy, crowded street in the New York City or even a windy interstate highway in rural America, a truck driver may have visual limitations.
In 2012, the National Highway Safety Administration reported that over 104,000 people suffered injuries from large truck accidents. There were also 3,971 truck accidents that year that included fatalities. This number is simply too high, but demonstrates how prevalent of an issue this is.
Of course, not all truck accidents are at the fault of the truck drivers. However, in a good majority of cases, they unfortunately are. Despite all of the federal safety rules that have been adopted into law for truck drivers and the precautions mandated by law for these drivers, many still become drowsy, distracted or even impaired while driving, because of the nature of their profession.
If you or a loved one have been involved in a truck accident, it is important to identify who was at fault as soon as possible and take legal action. The attorneys at the Law Office of Richard M. Kenny can help you investigate the specifics of the accident to determine this. Our lawyers always request truck logs and other important documentation from the trucking company to figure out exactly what went wrong and caused the accident. Our lawyers have over a century of combined experience dealing with truck accident cases in and around New York City and have sustained over $250 million in verdicts and settlements. They are experts when it comes to dealing with truck accidents and will do everything in their power to get you the results you need and deserve after suffering through this accident.