Why are Speeding Trucks So Dangerous?

When truck drivers speed, they are not only breaking the posted speed limit. They are turning an 80,000 pound vehicle into a violent force. When semi-trucks speed, they can cause some of the most severe accidents on the road and the damage left behind is usually catastrophic. If you or someone you love has been injured by a speeding truck driver, our San Antonio truck accident lawyer can advise on your case and help you obtain the compensation you need.

The Dangers of Speeding Trucks 

A commercial truck that is fully loaded and traveling at high speeds will have far more energy than smaller vehicles such as passenger cars. When the brakes on a truck lock or an accident occurs, that kinetic energy has to go somewhere. Large trucks cannot stop quickly. In fact, they require about 525 to 600 feet to come to a complete stop. To put that into perspective, it is roughly the length of two football fields. When a truck is carrying a trailer full of cargo, speeding, or traveling in poor road or weather conditions, the vehicle will take even longer to stop.

When a truck driver is speeding, there is an increased chance that the cargo will shift, as well. Even when a load is properly secured, it can shift during sharp maneuvers or hard braking. This can throw off the vehicle’s center of gravity and result in a rollover accident that crushes everything in the truck’s vicinity. When truck drivers speed, they also do not have as much time to react to hazards in the roadway, a merging vehicle, or a sudden slowdown in traffic.

Why Do Truckers Speed?

Truckers speed for many reasons. The most common of these include:

• Per-mile pay structures: The per-mile pay structure, also referred to as cents-per-mile, is the most common payment method for long-haul truck drivers. With this type of pay structure, drivers only earn money when they are on the road and the faster they travel, the more miles they cover and the more they earn.
• Unfeasible delivery schedules: When trucking companies create routes that cannot realistically be completed using legal speed limits, truck drivers will speed to protect their jobs. In these cases, trucking companies can be found liable for unrealistic routes.
• Pressure from dispatchers: Some truckers are told that a late delivery will have employment consequences. Documenting communications between truck drivers and dispatchers can help strengthen a lawsuit.
• Hours-of-service violations: When a trucker has exceeded the federal hours-of-service rule, they may speed to finish their delivery quickly and get off of the road.

Our Truck Accident Attorney in San Antonio Can Prove Your Case

At the Law Office of Israel Garcia, our San Antonio truck accident attorney can collect the important evidence to prove a trucker was speeding and caused your crash. This may include electronic logging devices (ELDs), event data recorders (EDRs,) and more. We collect this evidence on your behalf so you can focus on your recovery. Call us today at 210-LAW-9999 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with our experienced attorney. You do not pay anything unless we obtain a recovery or settlement for you.

Source:

fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations