Schuelke Law Discusses Deadly Truck Crashes in Austin

Truck crashes in the Austin area are relatively frequent. Many have a deadly outcome, as did one truck crash on State Highway 45 near the US 183 toll road. 

In one Highway 45 crash, a pick-up truck slammed into the back of an 18-wheeler, killing the pick-up driver. The collision happened about 6:45 a.m. The big rig driver was not injured. Another occupant in the pick-up truck was medically assessed for minor injuries but declined to go to the hospital.

A wreck involving two semis colliding on I-35 near Onion Creek Parkway resulted in injuries. The crash happened at approximately 11:13 p.m., and emergency responders arrived on the scene shortly thereafter. While there were no deaths involved in this accident, there were injuries sustained as a result of the impact.

Driving anywhere in Texas can be dangerous if a driver does not pay attention to the roads, weather conditions, the condition of the vehicle being driven, and the speed at which it is being driven. This applies to not just the semis but also the passenger vehicles that share the same roads. These enormous trucks are on the road just about every day, hauling equipment, goods, dangerous products, and other loads. 

Causes of Big Rig Accidents 

Typically, the top five things that may result in a serious truck accident are:

• Driver error – According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), driver error is 10 times more likely to result in a wreck than any other factor. There were four areas cited that can result in truck crashes, such as nonperformance (medical event, falling asleep), recognition (distracted, failing to see a situation), decision (tailgating, driving too fast for road conditions or weather), and performance (driver engaged in poor directional control, panicked).
• Driver training – The high accident rates indicate a need for better, safer driver training. This is critical as over the next three decades trucks are likely to move 40 percent more freight than they do right now. Increasing the volume of goods on the move in the face of a driver shortage increases the chances of more accidents and deaths.
• Failure of equipment – Mechanical failures are typically cited in at least 55 percent of truck crashes, while 30 percent of trucks were found to have at least one out-of-service equipment issue. Common failures included, worn or improperly inflated tires, poor maintenance, defective lights and/or signals, poor or faulty brakes, missing safety equipment such as sideride/underride rails, failing transmission, and defective parts.
• Trucking company priorities – The customer comes first and must get their cargo as soon as possible. This results in stress, driver fatigue, insane schedules, improper loading, and ignoring rest breaks. Driver safety needs to be a priority to change the fatigue-to-crash ratio truckers face.
• Abuse of substances – Companies need to screen for substance abuse on hiring, and regularly thereafter.

“We are at your disposal if you have been involved in an accident with a big rig,” said Austin semi-truck accident lawyer Brooks Schuelke. “We have extensive experience in this area, are familiar with the extensive network of regulations relating to the trucking industry,  and can inform you about your legal rights, what to expect during litigation, and why truck accident cases take longer due to their complexity.”