St. Louis, MO Personal Injury Law Blog

Fatal accidents involving trucks, motorcycles, and railroads are usually complex in nature. And, recently, more numerous.

While overall transportation deaths in this country decreased between 2009 and 2010, research by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reveals an increase during the same period in fatalities from truck, motorcycle, and railroad accidents.

Technology To Avoid Catastrophic Railroad Accidents Is Under Fire

In 2008, the U.S. Congress passed the Rail Safety Improvement Act. The law called for the installation of Positive Train Control (PTC), which automatically activates the braking systems of trains that are about to collide with each other or derail. Prior to 2008, a few carriers had voluntarily installed PTC on their track.

In the late morning hours of August 1, 2011, Eddie Wyatt was driving his tractor trailer southbound on I-85 just outside of Anderson, South Carolina. Suddenly, his rig veered off the road. Crossing the median, Wyatt's truck entered the northbound lanes. Wyatt's vehicle struck both an SUV and a pick-up truck. Dragging these two vehicles, Wyatt's rig ultimately collided with another tractor trailer. In the end, Wyatt and two other people were dead. The cause of the accident was driver fatigue.

Though Wyatt's accident took place in South Carolina, it could have just as easily occurred in Missouri. Drowsy driving - particularly by the drivers of large commercial trucks - poses a serious danger across the United States.

With a new joint rule from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, commercial truck and bus drivers may no longer use cell phones or "push to talk" phones while operating their vehicles on interstates. The new rule takes effect January 3, 2012.

The new rule specifies that it affects "all commercial motor vehicles operated in interstate commerce with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more, a vehicle operated solely in intrastate commerce with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, or a vehicle transporting any amount of hazardous materials requiring a placard." The new rule includes all contracted school bus operations and shuttle buses.

Distracted drivers cause between 25 to 50 percent of all U.S. motor vehicle accidents, according to the American Automobile Association. Distracted drivers of large over-the-road trucks and commercial vehicles can cause catastrophic consequences. "When drivers of large trucks, buses and hazardous materials take their eyes off the road for even a few seconds, the outcome can be deadly," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood when announcing the new rule in November.

There can be many causes in trucking accidents, and determining liability can be a complicated process. So if you or a loved one has been in an accident involving a commercial vehicle, be sure to contact an experienced attorney, like those at Gray, Ritter & Graham, to explore your legal options.