Item: Flaxman Law Group
Rating: 5
Author: Clara Barman

What Truck Drivers are Doing to Stay Safer on the Roads

Published on: January 13, 2016 | By Flaxman Law Group

Truck drivers in Hollywood, Miami, and other communities in South Florida have a big responsibility: they need to deliver cargo safely and on time while taking steps to drive safely. Truck drivers often have to drive on unfamiliar roads and share the road with much smaller vehicles. In some cases, they need to drive on narrow city streets not designed for larger big rigs and tractor trailers.

In order to get a commercial license, truck drivers need to undergo extensive training and testing to ensure they’re safe drivers. In fact, the extra training and screening mean truckers are among the safer motorists on our roads: statistics show that in most car-truck collisions, truck drivers are not at fault.

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Preventing DUI Truck Accidents

Published on: December 9, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

At this time of year, with many holiday parties taking place, DUI accidents in Hollywood and the rest of Southern Florida become a real concern for authorities. Each year, drunk driving accidents happen in the region because passenger car drivers make bad decisions after drinking.

However, it’s not just a passenger car drivers who take risks. Commercial truck drivers have stricter rules about drinking and driving. They are subject to random drug and alcohol tests in many cases and there is less tolerance if they cause an accident while under the influence. Despite this, DUI accidents involving trucks can and do take place.

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An Unusual Reason for Truck Driver Injury Is More Common At This Time of Year

Published on: November 25, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

Miami-Dade police are looking for people involved in the reported theft of two semi-truck trailers from a Costco parking lot. The trailers contained what is reported to be about $18,000 worth of Christmas trees. According to authorities, trailers had a pin lock and satellite tracking. However, the pin lock may not have been engaged and the tracking was disabled at some point during the night of the theft.

This incident highlights a disturbing trend occurring during the holidays; trailer and cargo thefts. The cargo in trailers sometimes represents a significant temptation for thieves, since the cargo headed for customers and stores can usually be sold for profits. Electronics are one of the most commonly stolen cargo items, although food and drink and pharmaceutical shipments are also commonly targeted.

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Truck Accidents are Someone’s Workplace Accident

Published on: November 20, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

When you see a commercial truck on the side of the road involved in an accident, you’re seeing someone who has had a workplace accident. For truck drivers, trucks are much more than just a way to get from point A to point B; they are their workplace.

If you are truck driver and have been involved in a car accident or truck accident in Hollywood or South Florida, it’s important to get a qualified workplace injury attorney on your side. Unfortunately, you may be accused of causing the accident or you may find you have a hard time seeking compensation for your injuries. Many truck drivers work as independent contractors, meaning they may not qualify for workers’ compensation or the many other benefits and protections that traditional employees enjoy. Potentially, this may make it harder to secure fair insurance and compensation in the event of a collision.

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Truck Driver Lifestyle and Crashes

Published on: November 11, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

Truck drivers have one of the most dangerous jobs and may face a higher risk of work-related illness, accidents, and injuries, according to a new study from the University of Utah’s Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health. The study identified a number of lifestyle factors that can increase truck drivers’ risk of crashes:

1) Poor health monitoring.

Drivers who have elevated pulse pressure, high blood pressure, and other issues may have an increased risk of heart disease and truck accidents. However, since drivers are on the road so often monitoring issues such as blood pressure or talking to a doctor regularly may be a problem, potentially meaning serious health conditions are not monitored closely. The University of Utah found that 24% of the truck drivers they studied had high blood pressure but had not been diagnosed or were not receiving care for the condition.

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Would Stricter Screening for Sleep Apnea Help Prevent Truck Crashes?

Published on: September 25, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

Many studies have shown that fatigued driving is a major contributor to truck accidents – both in Hollywood and across the country. Some people feel that preventing these types of collisions in South Florida and across the nation may be as simple as changing Hours of Service rules and ensuring that truck drivers get enough sleep.

The solutions might not be so simple. For some truckers with a condition known as sleep apnea, fatigue is a daily reality no matter how many hours they sleep. This condition, when untreated, threatens drivers’ livelihoods and the safety of other motorists on the road.

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Truckers, Diabetes, and Roadway Crashes: What You Need to Know

Published on: September 23, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

Diabetes is a serious disease that can eventually affect a person’s ability to drive. Earlier this year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) exempted over 70 truck drivers who managed their condition with insulin. The truckers will have an exemption for about two years. Usually, interstate truck drivers need to get special permission or may even be banned from driving if they have diabetes. To drive, truck drivers must prove that they have their condition under control or no longer need insulin for their condition.

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Could Cab Cams Help Prevent Trucking Crashes?

Published on: September 16, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

Cab cams record traffic and activity inside commercial trucks, and according to The National Transportation Safety Board these devices should be used more widely to help prevent trucking collisions. Specifically, the NTSB has recommended both traffic-facing and driver-facing cams that would either record non-stop or in response to a trigger (such as accelerated speed or sudden engagement of brakes). These recommendations are not laws, however, and not all truck carriers may want to implement cab cams.

The NTSB has recommended that the NHTSA use video recordings to gather more information as part of its accident databases. The NTSB has recommended that trucking associations encourage their members to use cams that capture video in low light and adequately capture the entire cab (including all passengers). For cab cam makers, the NTSB has recommended that manufacturers provide more information for users of web cams – including information about the correct installation, maintenance, and use of the devices.

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How Truck Driver Fatigue Can Lead to Catastrophic Traffic Crashes

Published on: June 23, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

There are many federal rules in place designed to help truck drivers avoid fatigued driving. For example, there are rules limiting how long drivers can stay behind the wheel before they must take a break. Despite this, truck driver fatigue is still a cause of many trucking collisions in Hollywood and across Florida.

There many reasons why truck driver fatigue happens. In some cases, drivers are given a financial incentive to drive further. They have deadlines and may face serious financial or career consequences if they don’t make deliveries on time. In other cases, trucking companies may give bonuses or other perks to drivers who meet or exceed deadlines. In addition, some drivers want to drive as much as possible in order to make a good wage.

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Car Drivers, Human Error, and Trucking Crashes

Published on: May 12, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

Many truck and car accidents in Hialeah and other Florida communities are caused by human error. Human error can involve failing to check blind spots, making a mistake when changing lanes, or braking suddenly.

Drivers and other cars may make decisions that cause you to be involved in a trucking accident. For example, another car may swerve in front of a truck, causing the truck to slam on the brakes or shift lanes, potentially crashing into you. Another car may try to drive around a truck and crash into you if you are driving in front of the same vehicle. Drivers tailgating a truck may suddenly slam on the brakes, causing you to rear-end their vehicle if they break too suddenly.

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