We are often asked to explain how trucking accidents are different from car accidents. One difference is the size of the tractor trailer relative to a passenger vehicle. The enormous size of a tractor trailer increases the likelihood of serious injury when these two types of vehicles collide. Collisions between two passenger vehicles can be devastating enough, add the weight and composition of a tractor trailer to the equation, and the results can be even more catastrophic.

Commercial drivers are professional drivers and the law imposes additional requirements upon them to maintain their Commercial Driver’s License. Although they drive for a living, operators of tractor trailers can make a mistake like anyone else. Unfortunately, when they make a mistake, the consequences can be severe.

Because of the potential for serious harm in the event of an accident, the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration imposes additional requirements on commercial drivers and the companies who operate commercial vehicles across the country. The legal issues can become complicated when you are involved in an accident with a commercial vehicle. For instance, the company who owns the commercial vehicle may not be located in your state and the driver may not be a resident of your state.

At the Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor, P.C., we have offices located throughout the region to ensure that you have access to your lawyer when you need us. We serve our clients from locations in Hickory, Charlotte, Greenville, and Columbia. So, whether you need us in the mountains near Asheville or somewhere near the coast of the Carolinas, we have an office nearby to best assist you. As always, our attorneys work together with our professional staff to obtain the best outcome on your behalf and we make it our job to know the Federal Motor Carrier Rules and Regulations so we can best represent you if you are involved in a Trucking Accident. It is not enough to simply be familiar with the ordinary rules of the road. An experienced attorney will know how to assess additional liability when a driver is operating beyond the Hours of Service requirements that apply to commercial drivers or the required Inspection, Repair and Maintenance provisions that apply.

While there are many additional provisions that apply to a commercial driver, one area that can result in harm to others is the failure to properly or timely warn when a commercial vehicle is stopped along the roadway. You should have a lawyer that is familiar with the rules as they apply to commercial vehicles and the driver’s responsibilities to warn others who approach a stopped commercial vehicle on the roadway.

Another problem we routinely see is the use of cell phones while driving. Some states have cracked down on the ability of drivers to use cell phones while operating a vehicle, and some states have limited the use of cell phones for young people. Because of the enormous consequences involved when a tractor trailer collides with a car, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates cell phone use by commercial drivers in an effort to enhance safety on our roadways. Our experienced attorneys know these rules and how they can expose a company and its driver to additional liability for violating such sensible rules which are in place to protect all of us and to prevent a Trucking Accident from ever happening in the first place.

We all understand that passenger vehicles are required to maintain at least a minimum limits insurance policy in the event we cause harm to another person or cause damage to property. Because the injuries and damages can be severe in a Trucking Accident, the law requires that commercial vehicles have more insurance. Settlements are usually much higher in a Trucking Accident case. Insurance companies will do all they can to limit these settlements. You need an attorney who knows the law and will fight for you.