Slippery Roads Lead to More Truck Accidents

Pittsburgh, PAWith slippery roads come more reports about truck accidents on US roads. Although some accidents result in only minor injuries, many accidents involving tractor-trailers result in serious injuries and sometimes death. The sheer size and weight of tractor-trailers make it more likely that people in smaller vehicles involved in truck accidents will suffer serious, life-threatening injuries.

In one car accident, a one-year-old child was killed and four other people were injured when a vehicle collided head-on with a tractor-trailer. In a different accident, a 51-year-old man died after his pickup truck collided with a tractor-trailer. The man's pickup became lodged under the tractor-trailer and the man was pinned for two hours. In yet another accident, a 15-year-old was killed when the vehicle he was riding in was struck by a tractor-trailer. Other people involved in the accident were taken to the hospital.

In Arkansas, a 35-year-old was killed when her vehicle collided head-on with a tractor-trailer. In another accident, a 24-year-old was killed after a tractor-trailer lost control and struck him as he was walking to a gas station. According to reports, the truck came around a corner, jackknifed and hit two vehicles before hitting the victim.

Meanwhile, an accident in Vermont is being blamed on snow-covered roads and a truck driver who was overtired. The accident occurred at 7:30 am, after the driver of the tractor-trailer fell asleep and drifted off the road. According to police, the driver had been driving since 2:00 pm the day before, meaning he had been driving for over 17 hours. The driver was in violation of rules regarding hours of service and had falsified his log book entries.

With the roads being so slick, it is important to pay careful attention and drive with extra caution, especially when driving near tractor-trailers. Regardless of how good a driver you may be, you do not know the driver of the tractor trailer's situation—if he has been driving long hours, if he is in a rush to get to his destination or even if his truck has been properly loaded. Any of those situations can result in accidents that cause serious injuries and even death.

If you or someone you love has been in an accident with a tractor-trailer, a lawyer can help to determine how much and what types of compensation you deserve.