Georgia Truck Accident Lawyers Blog

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is warning commercial drivers about the dangers of sleep apnea as authorities work to reduce the risk of commercial trucking accidents in Georgia and elsewhere.

Our Atlanta trucking accident lawyers have reported here before on the rules in place to help ensure truck drivers are well rested. Hours of Service rules are being reviewed and the government is pushing rules to require black box data recorders -- similar to airlines -- which would replace the written log books that have long been vulnerable to forgery and other shenanigans. Still, some safety advocates say truckers need more stringent physicals -- similar to the twice-a-year requirements of airline pilots. And the use of pain medication is another area where not enough rules exist to protect other motorists on the road.

The sleep apnea warning is another example of how routine medical issues can become deadly when affecting the driver of an 80,000 pound vehicle traveling down the road at 70 mph.

Risk factors including snoring and feeling sleepy during the day. Those who are overweight by 40 pounds or more are also at high risk. The disorder causes brief interruptions in breathing (as many as 400 times a night), and can be life-threatening if undiagnosed and untreated.

Astonishingly, the FMCSA reports as many as 28 percent of commercial drivers could have sleep apnea! While the condition is treatable, it can also disqualify a driver, which could be discouraging drivers from seeking treatment. Those with moderate or severe cases could be at highest risk for an accident.

When staying awake means staying alive, the fact that more than 1 in 4 drivers could be suffering from a sleep disorder is troubling, to say the least. Though it should not be surprising in a nation that is chronically sleep deprived:

-The average American sleeps less than 7 hours a night.

-Three-quarters of adults experience at least one symptom of a sleep disorder at least a few nights a week.

-More than one-third of adults report being so tired during the day that it interferes with their daily activities a few times a month or more.

-More than one-fourth report being sleepy at work at least two days a week.

-1 in 5 admit to making errors at work.

-The majority admit that being sleepy makes work tasks more difficult.

-About half admit to driving while sleepy during the past year.

-As many as one-third admit to having dosed off while driving.

Medical conditions that may affect sleep include insomnia, restless legs syndrome, snoring, and sleep apnea.

Continue reading " Georgia Trucking Accidents can Result from Sleep Disorders " »

An Atlanta tractor-trailer accident seriously injured a H.E.R.O worker on I-85 in Gwinnett County on Tuesday, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

The victim was removing debris from the highway when he was struck near Old Peachtree Road, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. Our Atlanta semi accident attorneys know such pedestrian crashes are typically fatal. Too often, a crash occurs when victims are standing outside a disabled vehicle at the side of the road. You are encouraged to wait well off the road -- well away from your vehicle, whenever possible.

Georgia's Highway Emergency Response Operators work to reduce congestion and clear roads after an accident. Unfortunately, that means they are often working outside their vehicles, along busy highways. In January, another H.E.R.O. operator was killed while helping a motorist on I-85 in downtown Atlanta. He was the first killed on the job since the program began 15 years ago.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports more than 380,000 accidents involving large trucks each year. In 2008, a total of 4,229 people were killed. Of those, 413 on-occupants (including bicyclists and pedestrians) were killed and another 3,000 were injured.

In this case, the worker was removing tire debris from the road. Several vehicles had stopped behind him, including a blue pickup. A tractor-trailer reportedly hit the truck and another vehicle before striking the H.E.R.O worker and coming to a stop. The truck driver told police his brakes failed, according to the AJC. The driver and passenger in the blue truck were transported to the hospital for treatment. The drivers of the tractor-trailer and the other vehicle were not injured.

The H.E.R.O worker was conscious after the accident and was transported to Gwinnett Medical Center. He may have sustained several broken limbs, according to the report.

Three lanes of I-85 were blocked and did not reopen for more than an hour. Authorities investigating include the Gwinnett police, the Georgia Highway Patrol, the Georgia Department of Public Safety's Motor Carrier Compliance Division and several other H.E.R.O. units.

Safety tips for stranded motorists include:

-Pull to the shoulder and stop as far right as possible.

-If possible, don't stop along a guardrail, which limits your ability to escape in the event of an accident.

-Switch on your hazard lights.

-Exit the vehicle via the right-hand door.

-Make sure all passengers stay well away from the road.

-Wait to use the phone until at a safe location -- well away from traffic.

-Never stand between your vehicle and oncoming traffic.

Continue reading " H.E.R.O. Struck in Georgia Tractor-Trailer Accident " »

The tragic death of a 10-year-old boy in a Madison County tractor-trailer accident this month is a painful reminder of the dangers these large trucks pose to young people through the summer months.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports the rear-end accident claimed the life of the boy and critically injured a friend. The crash happened on Highway 441 (Commerce Road) near Nature Center Road. The 57-year-old North Carolina trucker rear-ended a car driven by the victim's mother, according to the AJC.

All of the occupants were wearing their seat belts.

Our Atlanta semi accident attorneys understand the risks posed by large commercial vehicles can impact anyone, from the very young to our oldest residents. However, teen drivers and other young people are at particular risk through the summer travel season.

This month, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sponsored "Teens and Trucks," a program aimed at warning teens about the dangers large trucks pose on the road.

Teens promised to give trucks plenty of room, to avoid blind spots, and to participate in the "No Texting Promise."

“We want everyone to be safe, but as newer drivers, teens must adhere to a few simple rules,” said Anne Ferro, Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. “They are: buckle up, don’t drink and drive; don’t speed, don’t text or use your phone, and steer clear of a truck’s blind spots.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 9 of the 10 deadliest days for teen drivers are during the summer. Teens are nearly twice as likely to die compared to the rest of the year. On average, 16 young people are killed on the nation's roads each day during the summer -- compared to an average of 8.8 deaths per day during the rest of the year.

"Prom, graduation, and summer are fantastic times for youth to celebrate and enjoy. However, with these fun times come unfortunate tragedies,” said Sandy Spavone, President of the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS). “Through education, enforcement, and legislation lives can be saved and injuries prevented."

Young drivers ages 16 to 24 have the highest fatal crash rate in the nation. About 4,000 were killed in accidents involving large trucks during the last five years. And it's not just large trucks -- teens are at high risk for every other type of accident on the road, in large part because of inexperience and poor driving habits. Teens are most likely to be distracted, have low seat belt use and are most likely to ride with too many passengers in the vehicles. Speeding and drunk driving are the other most common causes of car accidents in Georgia involving young drivers.

Continue reading " Summer Dangers Illustrated by Tragic Death of Child in Atlanta Semi Accident " »

A trucking accident in Atlanta could have taken a quick turn for the worse after a tractor-trailer was involved in a four-vehicle accident on I-285 eastbound in DeKalb County, according to Atlanta Journal-Constitution. That tractor-trailer was carrying nearly 37,000 pounds of class-3 explosives.

According to Shata Spikes with Georgia Department of Transportation, the explosives did not spill. The four-vehicle accident shut down two lanes of I-285 near Flat Shoals earlier this week. Two tractor-trailers and two passenger vehicles were involved in the wreck.

Our Atlanta trucking accident attorneys recognize the dangers of these trucking accidents. We also understand that these dangers can be greatly increased with the amount and type of cargo that a truck is carrying. Luckily, no explosive were set off in this crash. Injuries could have been much worse -- even fatal.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were nearly 3,500 fatalities resulting from traffic accidents involving such large trucks in 2009. Another 74,000 motorists suffered serious injuries. These large trucks are classified by having a gross vehicle weight of more than 10,000 pounds. Reports indicate that 296,000 large trucks were involved in motor-vehicle accidents in 2009.

While 2009 saw a near 20 percent decrease from the previous year in the number of injuries resulting from these accidents, the severity of the injuries remain. Of the people that were injured in these types of accidents throughout the year, more than 75 percent were occupants of another vehicle, about 2 percent were non-occupants and more than 20 percent were of a large truck.

Large trucks accounted for nearly 10 percent of all motor vehicles involved in fatal accidents. They also made up nearly 5 percent of all vehicles that were involved in accidents that resulted in injury and property-damage-only crashes.

Georgia saw 133 fatal motor-vehicle crashes involving large trucks in 2009.

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety offers these tips for motorists to help them share the road safely and efficiently with these large and dangerous trucks:

-Be cautious of the wind gusts created by these large trucks. Be sure to keep both of your hands on the steering wheel when you're passing a truck or a truck passes you.

-Remember to leave plenty of room between you and a truck if you're coming to a stop on a hill. These large trucks have a tendency to roll back when the driver takes their foot off of the brake pedal.

-If you see a truck signaling a lane change, give them room. An average-sized truck needs at least an 8 second gap, or 700 feet, when changing lanes at highway speeds. Think of this distance as the length of 2 1/2 football fields.

-If a truck is passing you, don't speed up. Instead, you should stay to the right and slow your speed. Go ahead and let the truck pass you.

-Be sure to stay out of the truck's large blind spots. Remember that if you can't see the driver, then the driver cannot see you.

Continue reading " High Risk of Trucking Accidents on Atlanta Roads " »

Last Tuesday, four women were killed when a commercial tour bus ran off I-95 and overturned in Caroline County, Virginia.

About 20 of the 53 people hurt in the crash remained hospitalized as of Friday for treatment of serious injuries at medical centers in Fredericksburg, Richmond and Hopewell, Virginia.

The Sky Express bus left Greensboro, North Carolina, on Monday at 10:30 p.m. and was en route to Chinatown in New York City. Sky Express is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Investigators from the U.S. Department of Transportation blamed the accident on driver fatigue and prohibited Sky Express Inc. from operating interstate transportation services. The Virginia State Police Motor Carrier Safety Team ruled out any mechanical errors or malfunctions after inspecting the bus.

The driver of the bus, Kin Yiu Cheung, 37, of Flushing, New York, suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene. Cheung has been charged with reckless driving and four counts of involuntary manslaughter.

DOT's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued an unsatisfactory safety rating for Sky Express for violating multiple federal safety regulations for driver qualification requirements, drug and alcohol compliance, hours of service and vehicle maintenance.

Now, according to the U.S DOT, the company has tried to resume operations under a different name.

The North Carolina-based Sky Express Inc. had been placed out of service Tuesday by the transportation department's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for multiple federal safety violations, which prohibited it from operating interstate transportation services.

However, last Friday, the U.S. DOT issued a cease-and-desist order after it said it found the company trying to operate and sell tickets under two new names: 108 Tours and 108 Bus.

"We are relentlessly targeting unsafe and illegal bus companies," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement. "This action sends a strong message that the U.S. Department of Transportation will utilize every legal and enforcement tool available to shut down unsafe bus companies and protect passengers and motorists."

The transportation department also subpoenaed Friday the records of three websites that have sold tickets for the company as the DOT seeks to crack down on unsafe, reincarnated bus companies.