Legal Help for People Injured in Truck Accidents
Dracut was incorporated as a town in 1701. It is located in Middlesex County, approximately 28 miles north of Boston. In the early days, the town’s economy relied on lumber milling and fishing, which led to paper making and cotton textile manufacturing in the 19th century. One of the better-known historical sites in Dracut is the Coburn/Cutter House, dating from around 1700. With a huge center chimney, fireplaces, and massive beams, this house serves as the site of the town’s annual craft fairs.
The location of Dracut provides ready access to mountains and lakes to the north, Boston and Lowell metropolitan areas to the south, and the Atlantic coast to the east. Heavy truck traffic has been a problem for residents of Dracut and nearby Methuen. If you have been injured in a truck accident, your best course of action is to speak with an experienced Dracut personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
Give us a call today to discover how we can assist you.
How Are Truckers and Trucking Companies Overseen?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the agency responsible for issuing and enforcing regulations governing the trucking industry, in addition to state laws. Trucking companies and their drivers are subject to rules and regulations governing nearly every aspect of the industry, including:
- Driver licensing
- Number hours truckers can drive between rest breaks
- How much weight big rigs can carry
- How cargo is loaded and secured
- Drug and alcohol testing of drivers
- Inspection, repair, and maintenance of truck equipment
How Can Trucking Industry Negligence Lead to Serious Accidents in Dracut?
Many truck accidents are caused by the negligence of truck drivers and/or the trucking companies that hire them. With a focus on their own bottom line, some trucking companies may pressure their drivers to meet unrealistic delivery deadlines and even encourage them to speed or violate FMCSA hours of service regulations, designed to help reduce truck driver fatigue. Companies may fail to properly inspect and maintain their vehicles, leading to deadly crashes caused by tire blowouts, brake failure, and other equipment breakdowns.
Truckers operating big rigs that can weigh 80,000 pounds or more have an even greater duty of care to others on the roadway than passenger vehicle drivers. Negligent truck drivers can cause catastrophic collisions in a number of ways, including:
- Speeding: With their enormous size and weight, semi tractor-trailers need more time and distance to slow down or stop to avoid a crash. Truckers who are speeding to meet delivery deadlines or shorten their trips pose a serious risk for others on the road.
- Unsafe lane changes: Large commercial trucks have huge blind spots on all four sides. When truck drivers fail to carefully check blind spots before switching lanes, they can collide with other vehicles, causing serious injuries to occupants.
- Improper braking: With the current shortage of truck drivers, trucking companies are hiring more inexperienced drivers. Safely operating a big rig requires a special skill set that includes proper braking techniques. When truckers brake incorrectly, particularly on a downhill grade, it can cause the trailer to detach from the cab and run away, or the truck to roll over or jackknife, often blocking lanes of traffic and creating deadly obstacles for other motorists.
At DiBella Law Offices, P.C., we believe that every case is personal. Founding attorney Christopher DiBella has been rated 10.0 by Avvo and listed among Super Lawyers® Rising StarsSM, an honor awarded to no more than 2.5% of attorneys in the state.
We offer a free consultation. If you have been seriously injured in a Dracut truck accident, contact us today at (978) 327-5140.
We are committed to providing valuable information and resources to assist you.
