Articles Posted in truck accident injury

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It’s no secret that trucks pose a serious danger to motorists, including motorcycle riders who may be less visible to a driver. Although there are many different rules and regulations that apply to trucking operations with the intention of keeping everyone safe, countless drivers fail to comply with these laws. In some instances, they turn to narcotics and other illegal substances to help them stay awake during long hauls in violation of countless laws. At the Law Office of Michael O. Smith, we are prepared to assist you with determining whether you are entitled to compensation after a Boston truck accident.

Recently, a Massachusetts truck driver was charged with causing the deaths of seven motorcyclists when the rig that he was operating careened into the group of motorcyclists in New Hampshire. Three other individuals were seriously wounded in the accident. Reports suggested that the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles failed to take appropriate action to suspend the truck driver’s license as the result of several out-of-state driving violations that had been reported to the RMV. The truck driver claimed that he reached down to pick up his beverage and unintentionally drifted from his lane of travel at the time of the crash.

When police raided his home, however, they found illegal narcotics believed to be heroin and when he was arrested at the scene of the crash police officials observed erratic behavior consistent with amphetamine consumption. The truck driver was employed as a truck driver for a Massachusetts trucking company and possessed a commercial driver’s license.  He had previous citations for drunk and drugged driving, which had been reported to Massachusetts DOT and RMV officials.

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A recent study found that commercial truck drivers with three or more medical conditions double or quadruple their chance for being in a crash than healthier drivers.  The study let by the University of Utah School of Medicine found that truck drivers poor health could be dangerous not only to themselves, but to other drivers around them.  The study found the rate of crashes resulting in injury among all truck drivers was 20 per 100 million miles traveled.  For truck drivers with three or more medical conditions, the rate of crashes shot up to 93 per every 100 million miles traveled.

This study tells us that truck drivers with poor health could lead to increased crash risk.  Some truck drivers have difficulty keeping healthy due to their line of occupation.  Truck drivers typically sit for long periods of time, deal with poor sleep and have difficulty finding healthy meals, verses fast food, when working.  These problems lead to truck drivers declining health.  One study finds that over 1/3 of all commercial truck drivers have at least one medical condition such as heart disease, low back pain or diabetes.  The study finds that one health condition experienced by truck drivers, such as diabetes, is manageable, but diabetes in combination with other medical conditions such as high blood pressure and anxiety, can greatly increase the risk of a truck crash that not only injures the truck driver, but can also injure other innocent victims traveling on the road.

The study concludes its in the public’s best interest to continue to investigate the issue of health of our nations commercial truck drivers.  Occupants of other vehicle’s get injured in approximately 75% of all crashes involving trucks.  Perhaps one solution would be to make sure our commercial truck drivers know the health risk’s of working for long periods driving in a sedentary capacity.  This way, Commercial Truck drivers will be able to limit the decline of their health causing less of a chance of a truck crash causing bodily injury to themselves or other travelers that share the road with them.  If you or a loved one have experienced a motor vehicle crash with a truck, please contact an experienced attorney, such as the ones at The Law Offices of Michael O. Smith at 15 Broad Street, in Boston, to understand your rights and remedies.