Truck Accident Attorneys: Violations of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act?
We recently blogged about a horrendous accident in Orange County, Indiana involving three fatalities and the injury of a child when a 22 ton steel roll fell from its rigging on a semi truck trailer. The driver of the truck was issued a ticket for safety violations. Indiana State Police stated that the load was not properly secured, causing it to come loose and kill three innocent people.
The importance of safety regulations when it comes to semi trucks on the country’s highways cannot be overstated. Often when trucking accidents happen it is a direct result of the driver failing to perform a proper investigation of his truck prior to driving to find completely preventable conditions that can cause serious injury and even death. Just like an airplane pilot who does a complete “once over” of his plane prior to flying it, the semi truck driver has an extensive check list of items to make sure his truck is safe for the road.
When a trucking accident like the one in Orange County occurs, one of the first things we investigate is whether the driver violated a state or federal law regarding the “check lists” mentioned above. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is the federal agency responsible for creating, monitoring and enforcing these safety regulations. A wealth of safety information can be found at their website. In addition, there are Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations that also create safety regulations for truck drivers. Unfortunately, many of these safety precautions are overlooked or downright ignored in the name of profit for trucking companies.
The danger posed by the reckless disregard for properly securing loads on semi trucks is highlighted by the fact that the steel rolls in the Orange County accident actually killed passengers in two, separate vehicles. If you have questions about safety regulations that keep us safe from the negligence of semi trucks on the road, contact trucking accident attorney Brian D. Cook, or the other attorneys at Bahe Cook Cantley & Jones PLC.
