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Georgia’s Senate Passes Bill Requiring Seat Belts in Pickup Trucks...
Posted on 4/5/2010
Federal Ban on Texting for Commercial Truck Drivers...
Posted on 4/5/2010

Truck Accidents

In 2004, there were over 400,000 large trucks involved in traffic accidents in the United States, killing over 5,000 people. Another 116,000 were seriously injured in those accidents. While tractor trailers account for only 3% of the registered vehicles on Georgia’s roadways, they account for one of every eight traffic fatalities. In Georgia alone, accidents with large trucks killed 233 drivers in 2004.

There are many reasons for accidents caused by tractor trailers. First, big rig drivers are often forced to spend long hours on the roads. This produces two deadly results: inattention and lack of sleep. The National Sleep Foundation reports that nearly two million American drivers admit to having had an accident because they dozed off or were too tired to drive. But the problem is even greater with truck drivers, studies show that as many as 50% of all truck crashes are caused by driver inattention.

The Department of Transportation has adopted rules governing the hours of service that commercial drivers can operate. Effective September 14, 2007, drivers may only be on the road for 10 consecutive hours before a lengthy “restart period” is required. But the rules are lax, as they do not require the driver to keep onboard recording devices which would track the time actually spent behind the wheel.

Second, drunken truck drivers can be especially dangerous, because they are hauling so much weight. For that reason, Georgia lowers the legal alcohol limit from 0.08% to 0.04% for truck drivers. Even knowing the potential for danger, some truckers still choose to drive after drinking.

Trucks pose a third problem for drivers on Georgia’s roadways: dangerous underrides. The underride of the truck is the part between the bottom of the truck’s bed and the road. Because this is elevated higher than passenger cars, it poses a dangerous risk of harm or even decapitation if a car’s driver comes into contact with the truck. In 2004, 36% of all truck crash fatalities involved a car crashing into the back or the side of the truck, areas particular susceptible to the underride risk.

The federal government takes many steps to ensure our safety on the roads. By requiring truckers to keep daily logs, they attempt to enforce the hours of service laws. By requiring truckers to stop at weigh stations, they attempt to regulate the weight of trucks and prevent massive accidents. And by requiring trucking companies to carry minimum levels of insurance, the government protects our financial interests in the case of a crash. However, some trucking companies are only concerned with protecting their own profits and will sometimes sidestep the law in order to make the delivery faster and cheaper. But this also makes the delivery – and our roadways – more dangerous for all of us.

If you or your loved ones have been injured by a negligent truck driver, please call Murphy & Associates at (770)577-3020 or email James Murphy at murphylawfirm@bellsouth.net.
James Murphy has been fighting insurance companies both in and out of the courtroom for years. His experience will help you recover for your injuries and get you back on your feet. Murphy & Associates are located near the Douglas County Courthouse and has successfully represented seriously injured individuals throughout West Georgia, including clients in Douglasville, Hiram, Bremen, Lithia Springs, Dallas, Tallapoosa, Carrollton, Douglas County, Paulding County, Haralson County, and Carroll County.

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Blog for Truck Accidents

Library for Truck Accidents:

Tractor Trailer Accident in Coweta County, Georgia
Description: Early this morning, a tractor trailer truck was traveling southbound on Interstate 85 in Coweta County. The tractor trailer overturned in the exact location where two other tractor trailer wrecks occurred in March 2009. If you have been injured in an accident involving a collision with a truck, feel free to call us at Murphy & Associates for free answers to any questions you may have. We look forward to working with you. (770) 577-3020.
Logging Truck Accident on Interstate 20 Interchange | Truck Accident Attorney
Description: In Atlanta, Georgia, today at about 10:00 a.m., traffic was backed up on I-285 after a logging truck accident shut down all lanes in both directions. Our law firm handles truck accident cases such as this. If you have been injured in an accident involving a collision with a truck, feel free to call us at Murphy & Associates for free answers to any questions you may have. We look forward to working with you. (770) 577-3020
Tractor Trailer Truck Accident Stalls Traffic
Description: An accident involving a tractor trailer in New Market, Alabama, blocked partof Winchester Road yesterday morning, according to Kim Albright of the Al.com website. Our law firm handles truck accident cases. If you have been injured in an accident involving a collision with a truck, feel free to call us at Murphy & Associates for free answers to any questions you may have. We look forward to working with you. 770-577-3020.
New Seatbelt Law Passed by Georgia Senate for Adults in Pickup Trucks
Description: If you drive a pickup truck, an old yet important phrase must become etched in your memory: buckle up. Previously the only state in the nation to allow adults to remain unbuckled in pickup trucks, costing the state millions of federal highway dollars, Georgia finally acted to prevent an estimated 21 lives and 300 injuries annually, according to Shawn Reynolds of the 11 Alive news website.

If you are involved in a car or truck accident in which you are not wearing your seat belt, this new law could affect your potential car or truck accident case, not to mention your overall safety. To ensure that you are as safe as possible as well as abide by the law, be sure to buckle up no matter what vehicle you choose for driving or riding. If you have been injured in a car or truck accident and have questions for an experienced Georgia injury lawyer, please feel free to call us. We we answer your questions for free with compassion and professionalism. 770-577-3020.
Two Killed in Georgia Truck Accident on I-95
Description: A Georgia truck accident killed two residents of Bluffton, South Carolina Wednesday morning, according to Renee Dudley of the "Island Packet" website based in South Carolina. We express our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Kautzmann and Vega. Our thoughts are with you at this difficult time.
Woman Goes Into Labor in Stalled Traffic After Gainesville Truck Accident
Description: A Gainesville, Georgia, accident involving two trucks injured two people and shut down Candler Highway in South Hall Thursday afternoon, according to the Access North GA website. Adding to the traffic delays and throwing in some more drama for the day was a woman who went into labor while waiting for the accident to clear, and an ambulance stopped traffic in order to make its way to the woman, according to Hall County authorities. Our law firm handles truck accident cases throughout the state of Georgia. If you have been injured in a truck accident, please feel free to call us with any questions you may have. We will consult with you for free. 770-577-3020.
Man From Lula Killed in Accident With Tractor-Trailer
Description: A man from Lula, Georgia, was killed Friday morning, January 16, in an accident with a tractor-trailer on Ga. 365, according to the Gainesville Times online. Our law firm handles fatal accident cases and truck accident cases, and we express our deepest condolences to the friends and family of Alvin Sosebee. Our thoughts are with you at this difficult time.
Mother and Child Killed in Truck Accident in Jefferson County, Alabama
Description: A western Jefferson County traffic accident resulted in fatality Friday, December 15, when a woman, 35, and her son, age 7, were involved in a collision with a coal truck, according to Erin Stock of The Birmingham News website. We express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Cynthia Arnold and her children. Our thoughts are with you at this most difficult time.
Three Children Injured, One Person Killed After Tractor Trailer Truck Accident in Jefferson County, Alabama
Description: An accident involving a tractor trailer truck and a car injured three children and killed one person near Birmingham, Alabama, on December 19, according to Carol Robinson of The Birmingham News online. Our law firm handles truck accident cases and wrongful death cases such as this. We represent clients who have faced the indescribable trauma of sustaining serious injuries or losing loved ones in truck accidents, and we express our deepest condolences to the victims of this accident.
Truck Accident Law Summary
Description: Truck accident cases can, at times, become complicated and may require attention to detail regarding trucking law, so it is important for your attorney to be familiar with the issues unique to trucking accident cases and how to approach truck accident claims. Motor carriers who employ truck drivers must adhere to many laws and regulations regarding their trucks and truck drivers. If you have been injured in a truck accident, please feel free to call us at 770-577-3020.
What You Need to Know About Large Trucks and Truck Accidents
Description: Colliding with another car can be extremely frightening, dangerous, and even fatal, but getting into an accident with a tractor-trailer or 18-wheeler truck puts you at an even greater risk of serious injury and need for extensive treatment. Any given year, the drivers and passengers of cars suffer 98 percent of the fatalities caused by crashes between cars and big trucks. If you have suffered injuries as a result of a truck accident in which the trucker was at fault, you may wish to claim compensation.
I-75 Traffic Stalled After Chicken Truck Catches Fire
Description: According to The Sun News, I-75 experienced multiple hour-long delays in its southbound lanes near the Houston-Peach county line when a tractor-trailer that was hauling chickens caught fire early Thursday morning. Although no report of injury arose from this incident, a claim for compensation may have been possible had someone been injured in the crash. Our law firm handles truck accident cases in which our clients were injured by at-fault drivers. If you have sustained injuries in a truck or car accident, feel free to call us at 770-577-3020 for free answers to your various questions.
I-85 Tractor Trailer Accident Causes Delays in Newnan
Description: Interstate 85 in Newnan, Georgia, experienced extreme delays Tuesday morning (September 30) when a tractor-trailer overturned in a construction zone, according to the Times-Herald. Our law firm handles truck accident cases. If you have been injured in an accident involving a tractor-trailer, feel free to call us at 770-577-3020 for a free consultation. We will gladly answer all of your questions regarding your accident.
Tractor Trailer Catches Fire on I-285 in Atlanta
Description: According to the 11 Alive website, a tractor-trailer caught fire this morning (Tuesday, September 23) on the shoulder of Atlanta’s I-285 near I-85 around 6:00a.m. The westbound lanes of Interstate 285 near “Spaghetti Junction” were closed until approximately 10:30a.m. when all the debris was cleared. Our law firm handles truck accident cases. If you have been injured in a truck accident that was not your fault, call 770-577-3020 for a free consultation.
Coweta County Accident on I-85 Stalls Traffic
Description: Early Monday afternoon (September 8, 2008), a Coweta County accident stalled traffic in the southbound lanes of I-85 when two cars and two tractor trailer trucks were involved in a crash. According to Cal Calloway of 11 Alive, the accident occurred after 12:00pm approximately 2 miles south of Exit 47 at State Road 34. I-85 re-opened after 1:00pm. At the time of the report, the number of injuries was unknown. Our law firm handles truck accident cases such as this. If you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault, call us at (770)-577-3020 for a free consultation with an experienced attorney.
Two Die in Atlanta Accident on I-75 Ramp to I-285 This Morning (August 26)
Description: The interstate ramp was shut down for hours early this morning (Tuesday, August 26) due to an accident between a tractor-trailer truck and a pickup truck that resulted in death. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the accident occurred around 3:00am on the ramp from I-75 south to I-285 west when the pickup truck rear-ended the parked tractor-trailer. Police reported that the Cobb County wreck resulted in fire, and two died due to the crash. Our law firm handles truck accident and fatal accident cases such as this. If you have been injured or lost a loved one in an accident in which another driver was at fault, call us at 770-577-3020 for a free consultation with an experienced lawyer. There is absolutely no obligation.
Atlanta Tractor-Trailer Accidents on I-20, I-285, I-85, Hwy. 316 Delay Wednesday Morning Commute; One Accident Fatal
Description: Wednesday morning (August 20) traffic was stalled for hours on major Atlanta roadways due to multiple serious accidents involving injuries and one fatality. According to www.11alive.com, an accident involving two tractor-trailer trucks on Georgia Highway 316 eastbound near Harbins Road killed one person whose name has yet to be released. Multiple people sustained injuries and all lanes of Interstate 85 north of Senoia Road were blocked due to a collision between a tractor-trailer and another truck. Another I-85 wreck involved a tractor trailer that caught fire and continued to leak fuel, blocking all northbound lanes of the roadway in the area. I-20 experienced a similar accident when a tractor-trailer truck overturned on the ramp to I-285. Our law firm handles truck accident cases such as these. If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a truck accident in which another driver was at fault, call us at 770-577-3020 for a free consultation with an experienced lawyer.
I-20 Accident in Douglasville Last Night Fatal
Description: All lanes of Interstate 20 in Douglasville were blocked last night (Thursday night, August 14) after a fatal accident between a tractor-trailer truck and another vehicle. According to 11Alive.com, officials reported that the accident occurred around 8:45pm on I-20 westbound at Fairburn Road (Georgia 92) in Douglasville, Georgia. Our law firm handles truck accident and fatal accident cases such as this. If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a truck accident that was the fault of another driver, call us at 770-577-3020 for a free consultation.
Metro Atlanta Woman Dies After Truck Accident
Description: Sara Sue Whaley Wimpey, 89, died Saturday morning (August 2) at Hamilton Medical Center after sustaining injuries in a car accident Thursday morning (July 31) north of Atlanta. According to reports by the Georgia State Patrol, the accident occurred when Whaley failed to yield the right-of-way to a tractor-trailer at the intersection of Ridge Road and the South Dalton Bypass in Dalton, Georgia.
I-75 Driver Killed by Tractor Trailer Truck
Description: Thirty-three-year-old Jennifer D. McNichols of Miami, Florida, was killed Monday morning (July 28) around 5:15 when a tractor trailer ran over her stopped car in the outside lane of I-75. According to reports, the truck dragged Jennifer McNichols’ vehicle roughly 200 yards off the road into the shoulder of I-75. Our law firm handles fatal accident and truck accident cases such as this. If you have been injured or lost a loved one in an accident in which another driver was at fault, call us at 770-577-3020 for a free consultation. There is absolutely no obligation.