subject: Fatal California Accident Blamed On Speeding Truck [print this page] California Highway Patrol officials are blaming a speeding catering truck for a fatal accident which occurred in the San Gorgonio Pass early in the week. According to the California Highway Patrol, the accident involved a speeding catering truck and a passenger vehicle, and took place on the eastbound freeway in San Gorgonio Pass. The driver of the passenger vehicle was killed in the accident.
Occupants of a passenger vehicle have little chance of escaping without serious or fatal injuries when they are involved in an accident with a large commercial truck. The kind of impact and force that is generated in these types of accidents puts occupants of smaller vehicle at a higher risk of suffering devastating injuries or possibly being killed in the accident. It is one of the reasons why trucking safety is such an important issue for California truck accident attorneys.
According to statistics by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, speeding was the number one factor in truck accidents in 2009. Although there has been a lot of attention paid to the issues of driver fatigue and drug abuse by truck drivers, it turns out that both of these actually accounted for fewer truck accidents in 2009. In fact, driving while fatigued was actually a factor in just 1% of fatal truck accidents last year.
The size and bulk of a tractor-trailer means that truck drivers have trouble controlling the vehicle when they're driving at high speeds. For instance, a commercial truck is at a risk of jackknifing if the driver slams on the brakes when he's traveling at high speeds. Besides, commercial trucks are also at a risk of a rollover if the driver loses control of the truck. A tractor-trailer takes much longer to come to a complete stop when the brakes are applied, compared to a passenger vehicle. These are just some of the reasons why commercial truck drivers must maintain appropriate speeds while driving.
Driving at unsafe speeds could mean more than driving at posted speed limits. This means that truck drivers must take into consideration road, traffic, and weather conditions while driving. For instance, driving a commercial truck may become even more challenging during rainy or icy weather, when the roads are slippery and wet. Truck drivers need to slow down speeds during times like this. Over the next few weeks, we're likely to see inclement weather in California, as the nights get wet, leaving the roads slick and slippery. These kinds of roads present ideal conditions for fatal or serious truck accidents.
Truck drivers also need to drive taking into consideration the prevailing traffic conditions. For instance, driving a commercial truck on a congested Los Angeles freeway necessitates lower speeds, and careful maneuvering in heavy traffic. Commercial trucks also need to lower speeds when they are navigating a construction work zone.
The Reeves Law Group is not representing any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
