Weather Conditions
Slick roads are particularly dangerous for large commercial trucks. The reason is that 18 wheelers and commercial vehicles cannot stop as quickly as normal cars and trucks. It is also more difficult for them to make corrective maneuvers when a hazard or dangerous condition presents itself.
Laws Require Truck Drivers To Use “Extreme Caution”
Truck drivers are required by law to use “extreme caution” when operating trucks in hazardous conditions, including those posed by “snow, ice, sleet, fog, mist, rain, dust, or smoke.”
The rules specifically state that drivers must reduce their speed when such conditions exist. If conditions are sufficiently dangerous, the driver must stop driving.
Truck Drivers Drive Recklessly In Dangerous Weather Conditions
Truck and commercial vehicle drivers are frequently under pressure to complete their jobs quickly. This causes them to rush and take unnecessary risks.
Making matters worse, many truck and commercial vehicle drivers view themselves as “expert” drivers who are better able to drive in adverse weather conditions. In fact, the opposite is true: 18 wheeler trucks and large commercial vehicles are extremely difficult to operate in bad weather.
This financial pressure and overconfidence leads truck drivers to ignore weather conditions and drive as though everything is normal. This causes serious and sometimes deadly accidents. In fact, weather is a factor in 14% of trucking accidents, according to a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study conducted over several years.
M&S Attorneys Assist 18 Wheeler Accident Victims
The Texas truck accident attorneys at Morrow & Sheppard can help you figure out whether a truck or commercial driver, or the companies they work for, disregarded poor weather conditions, causing or contributing to your accident. Morrow & Sheppard have the skills and experience to help you and your family secure the compensation you deserve.
Contact us now for a free, confidential consultation to discuss your options. Your consultation will be kept secret, and it does not obligate you to hire our law firm or file a claim.
References
49 C.F.R. 392.14 (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations).
