A collision with an 18-wheeler can easily be deadly in Texas
It can be nearly impossible to merge onto an interstate or other highway without seeing at least one or two 18-wheelers. While getting goods to and from various locations is an important aspect of our society, these enormous vehicles present an added danger to Texas motorists. A wreck involving an 18 wheeler can have disastrous consequences for those in a passenger vehicle.
Some people may not know that 18-wheeler drivers are held to strict regulations concerning the number of hours they can spend behind the wheel. Unfortunately, truck drivers keep their own logbooks that are filled out by hand, and they can be falsified with little effort. Various surveys discovered that a significant number of truck drivers ignore the 11-hour driving regulation and spend many more hours behind the wheel.
Since a loaded 18 wheeler can weigh up to 30 times as much as a smaller passenger vehicle, a sleepy driver behind the wheel can be a recipe for disaster. Even when these fatigued drivers do cause a wreck, they are usually not the ones who suffer the most. When an 18 wheeler collides with a smaller car, the fatalities usually occur in the car.
When life changes in the blink of an eye, it can be a difficult situation for a victim’s family, as families must often bare the heaviest burden when a loved one is killed in a wreck involving an 18 wheeler. Aside from the grief that accompanies a loss, unexpected funeral costs, medical bills that may have been incurred during attempted life-saving procedures and various related expenses can easily become overwhelming. For many in Texas, a wrongful death claim can be the most effective way of covering those related expenses. If a claim is successfully navigated, wrongful death compensation may ease a victim’s family’s transition into life after a loss.
Source: iihs.org, “Large trucks“, Dec.12, 2014