Truck safety made national headlines when comedian Tracy Morgan was severely injured in an accident which occurred in June of 2014 on the New Jersey Turnpike. This fatal accident not only injured Tracy Morgan but injured a number of others and killed comedian "Jimmy Mack" as well.
According to the information garnered by investigators, sleep deprivation likely was the cause of this horrible accident. Each year, around 500,000 truck accidents occur. Of these, DOT statistics show that between 3,000 and 5,000 of those involved were killed. While the Department of Transportation or DOT, has a role in creating safety initiatives and regulations, it is still ultimately up to the drivers to be responsible and know when they should or shouldn't be driving. This is especially true in areas such as New Jersey. A center of trade in the U.S., there are millions of trucks on the roads in New Jersey each year.
Unfortunately, crashes occur in New Jersey every day. In fact, according to the New Jersey Department of Transportation, a total of 265,540 crashes occurred in 2014 alone, many of which involved large trucks and many on the New Jersey Turnpike. Strict deadlines, threat of job loss and paying by the mile are just a few of the reasons many of these truckers may have made poor decisions while driving.
So what are regulators doing to protect others on the roads with these big trucks?
A highly regulated industry, truckers have many requirements which must be met to even begin driving. Special licenses and knowledge of their trucks are just a few of many rules put in place to protect others. In addition to basic regulations put in place by the FMCSA or Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, New Jersey also participates with the federal government in the MCSAP grant program which is meant to reduce commercial motor vehicle accidents , injuries and fatalities. It requires that all commercial drivers licenses be verified on inspections, that all accident reports be uploaded and that all inspection data also be uploaded.
While driver error is not the cause of all accidents, too often truck accidents could be prevented.
Best Local Attorney was created to help you find the best local attorney for your case. If you have been injured or if someone in your family was killed due to a truck accident, let us help you find the right attorney for your case. Our services come at no charge to you, for over 25 years we've been a member of a nationwide trial lawyers group dedicated to fighting for accident victims and their families. The best lawyers in America actively participate in trial lawyers associations and share their knowledge and expertise with other members. A good lawyer is not hard to find if you know where to look.
Best Local Attorney offers assistance in many practice areas ranging from truck accidents to dog bites, boat accidents or other personal injury claims. To find out how we can help, call us today at 1.800.603.6833.
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