As a Virginia motorist, you may be used to sharing the road with tractor trailers on a daily basis. These massive vehicles can weigh up to 80,000 pounds and may have as many as three trailers filled with cargo. It is not surprising that an accident with one of these trucks can be catastrophic. From distracted drunk and drowsy truck drivers to reckless motorists who do not know how to drive safely around trucks, commercial truck accidents are not uncommon. It may help you to be familiar with the common causes of large truck accidents so that you may minimize your chances of becoming a victim of a truck accident.
What are the common causes of commercial truck accidents?
Dealing with hazardous driving conditions as a commercial driver
When you work for a commercial motor carrier in Northern Virginia, you know that the pressure of pleasing your customers is ever-present. This is especially true when you transport passengers. While you want to ensure that you get passengers to their destination on time, every time, their safety must come first. Many come to us here at The Law Offices of Locklin and Coleman PLLC wondering at what point safety concerns override the desire to get customers to their destination on time. Some might say that is a judgment call, yet federal law refutes that.
Can motor carriers require drivers to use phones while driving?
Given all of the awareness raised recently about the dangers of distracted driving, you likely would not even dream of pulling out your phone to send a text or take a call while driving on the roads in Manassas. How unsettling must it be, then, to find yourself a passenger on a commercial vehicle whose driver is indeed using his or her phone while driving? You might ask him or her to stop, only to be answered with the assertion that his or her employer requires him or her to communicate with the company while on a route. Can a commercial carrier really require this of its drivers?
What are the qualifications to drive a school bus in Virginia?
Every day during the school year, you and countless other parents in Manassas place the safety of your children in the hands of a small group of individuals selected to drive school buses. Given the precious cargo that they are carrying, you might assume that bus drivers are subject to very strict standards. Yet how correct are you in that assumption, and what responsibility (if any) would a school district have if a bus driver causes an accident?
Understanding Uber insurance coverage
Despite having been available in areas like Manassas since 2010, many local residents are still unfamiliar with the concept of ride-sharing. Those just becoming acquainted with companies like Uber will likely first want to know how safe they are before committing to using them. Unfortunately, ride-sharing accident statistics are still difficult to find. This is due to the both the practice being fairly new, as well as the fact that no official method exists for documenting ride-sharing accidents. Per information shared by The Chicago Tribune, law enforcement authorities may not even think to document whether a vehicle involved in a collision was driven by an Uber driver since such drivers use their own personal cars.
Hours of service regulations for bus drivers
The dangers that drowsy drivers (in particular, drowsy truck drivers) pose to you and others traveling on the roads in and around Manassas has been well-documented. You may also know that such drivers are required to follow certain guidelines regulating exactly how long they can drive and to record those hours for review. Yet you may think that such standards are only imposed on drivers transporting freight. Many of the clients that we here at The Law Offices of Locklin & Coleman, PLLC have worked with have been surprised to learn that commercial vehicle drivers must also adhere to similar regulations.
Are school buses really safe?
Taxis, trains, Uber rides, school buses... what do all of these have in common? Aside from being modes of transportation, these services require customers to demonstrate a great deal of trust. Whether or not Virginians take this fact into account, thousands use these forms of conveyance each day. For the most part, taxis and buses are a reliable way to get to work and school; however, the comfort of the ride depends on the safety of the system.
Does uber really make transportation safer?
In the midst of a technological revolution on the road, millions of drivers have become reliant on transportation systems such as Uber for a safe ride to a destination. Uber has found its way into the common psyche, indeed; the name has largely become synonymous with the word "taxi." Yet as Uber's clientele skyrockets, does it maintain its image of the safer travel option? In Virginia, passengers who suspect the process has gone awry after an Uber wreck may decide to take legal action. First, there are some aspects of the company worth considering.
