The average Alabama driver has a roughly one in three chance of being in an injury or fatal motor vehicle accident during the course of his lifetime according to a 2013 report by the state’s Department of Transportation. In Mobile and Baldwin counties, there were a total of 4,729 crash injuries and 103 fatalities. While commercial trucking wrecks make up a smaller portion of overall traffic accidents, they can be the most dangerous and deadly if they are severe. If you have been injured in a collision with a semi-truck or 18 wheeler that was not your fault, contact an Mobile big truck accident lawyer with Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys as soon as possible to discuss your case.
Steps To Help Reduce Large Trucking Collisions in Alabama
From 2009 to 2013 there was an increase in the number of fatal large trucking accidents in Alabama. In these accidents, one of the leading reasons cited for the crash was inability to see the person or vehicle. Because of their massive size, big rigs, semi-trucks, tractor trailers, and box trucks have limited to no visibility in certain areas surrounding the vehicle. If you are driving near one of these large trucks and find yourself behind or beside the truck, the driver may not be able to see you. Make sure to drive very carefully as you pass the truck and try not to linger too long in these areas or stay too close behind the truck.
Another important safety practice for drivers of passenger cars is to use caution when changing lanes in front of a big truck. Switching lanes abruptly in front of a big rig when both vehicles are driving at a high speed can be extremely risky and lead to an accident if the truck does not have sufficient time and distance to brake. Pulling out into moving traffic in front of a big truck and merging onto the highway can be hazardous if you do not accelerate fast enough or misjudge the oncoming trucks speed and distance from you. These situations should be approached with extra care and diligence to reduce the chance of a serious collision with a large truck.
Despite safe driving efforts, crashes with commercial trucks and smaller automobiles often still occur on Alabama roadways. When these crashes are the fault of negligent actions on the part of the truck driver or trucking company, the injured victims should be compensated. In some cases, wrecks between large trucks and cars are the result of unsafe practices encouraged by the trucking company. For example, pressuring truckers to make tight deadlines can lead to driving while fatigued and drowsy. Additionally, improper cargo loading or failing to maintain the truck systems and performing the required pre-trip inspections can be to blame for mechanical troubles that cause crashes.
Hit and Injured? Get An Alabama Big Truck Accident Lawyer
Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys has decades of experience representing individuals in Mobile, Daphne and across southern Alabama who have been hurt in a wreck with a commercial truck. Large trucking accidents that result in serious injuries or fatalities have major consequences and it takes professional legal expertise to protect the rights of injured victims. The attorneys at Citrin law firm have handled many commercial truck accident lawsuits and settlements and they will make sure you are treated with respect and receive full compensation to cover your losses. Call 251-888-8888 to speak with an attorney about your wreck. Our law firm has locations in Mobile, Pascagoula and Daphne and our phones are answered 24/7 so don’t wait. The consultation is free and you won’t pay any fees unless we win your case.
Andy is the owner and CEO of Citrin Law Firm, P.C. He founded the firm in 1995 with the goal of helping injured people put their lives back together. His passion for protecting injured people has only grown since he opened the doors of Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, and he has a history of winning numerous multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients.