Sharing the road with large trucks can be nerve-wracking because they are so much larger and heavier than regular sized vehicles. In Kentucky, we have plenty of tractor trailers on our roads because we rely on them to transfer goods within our state and to other parts of the country. While most truck drivers are careful and qualified, some make mistakes and cause serious accidents.

Large trucks colliding with other trucks or regular-sized vehicles can create serious injuries and damages to all vehicles involved, but especially the smaller vehicles. Large trucks can weigh up to 30 times more than passenger cars, which is what makes truck accidents so serious. Additionally, when trucks collide with regular-sized vehicles, 67 percent of fatalities are occupants of passenger vehicles and only 16 percent of fatalities are the occupants of trucks.

When you’ve been in a serious truck accident in Lexington that wasn’t your fault and are looking to recover the cost of the damages done to you and your property, you’ll want an experienced lawyer from Golden Law Office on your side. We’ll fight for you to get the full and fair compensation that you deserve from the collision.

Truck accidents often occur because of negligence. After an accident, it’s common to immediately think that the truck driver was the one to blame. They may have been driving while distracted, fatigued, or were disobeying the rules of the road. However, the truck driver isn’t always the one at fault. The trucking company could have acted negligently. If you’ve been injured in an accident involving a truck, an injury lawyer from Golden Law Office can represent you and get you the compensation you deserve.

We understand how nerve-wracking it can be to go up against a large trucking company. We won’t be intimidated and will do everything we can to get you a favorable settlement. Trucking companies need to know that their responsibility to keep their vehicles safe is something they need to take seriously.

While there are similarities between investigating an accident between two passenger vehicles and a crash involving a passenger vehicle and a commercial truck, the latter is generally more complex. This is because there are more factors to consider, like the trucking company and the federal trucking regulations. If you’ve been in a tractor-trailer accident, you’ll benefit from understanding how the police investigate the incident and how you can use that information to support your truck accident injury claim.

Every day, products and services are hauled across the country. While the trucking industry is a benefit to the nation’s economy, the vehicles themselves can create deadly situations. When tractor-trailers compete with cars, SUVs, pickups, and motorcycles for space on the road, it’s possible for those in smaller vehicles to get seriously hurt. Thousands of individuals are fatally injured every year in truck accidents.

The majority of big rig crashes are entirely preventable because most are the result of human error. There are steps that truckers and trucking companies can take to reduce the number of crashes. But hesitation is likely because many of the steps involve time and monetary investments; however, our lawyers understand that your loved one’s lives are worth more.

The trucking industry is one of the largest in the country and delivers millions of goods and services all across the United States. While the benefits of the industry are substantial, accidents involving truck drivers and smaller passenger vehicles claim thousands of lives every year. Many of the wrecks are attributed to driver error or company neglect.

Experts are estimating severe trucker shortages in the upcoming decade. This could potentially raise the number of truck accidents and put more lives at stake. In order to understand why collision rates could increase, it’s important to understand why the shortage is happening in the first place.

The aftermath of a truck accident can be devastating. This isn’t surprising when you consider commercial vehicles weight up to 80,000 pounds and often carry hazardous materials. The significant property damage often results in totaled vehicles and the physical injuries can be life-changing.

The hardest part of dealing with a severe truck accident often revolves around accepting the accident could have been prevented. When trucking companies neglect their responsibilities and hire poor drivers, they should be held accountable for their actions.

That’s where we come in. At Golden Law Office, our truck accident attorneys have years of experience working with truck accident victims. If you believe a trucking company is responsible for your accident, we will do what we can to investigate your claim. In order to start the legal process, it’s a good idea to have a basic understanding of why negligent hiring has such an impact on the trucking industry. Let’s start by looking at state and federal hiring and retention regulations.

Semi-trucks account for some of the largest vehicles on the road at any given time. They’re heavier, longer, and wider than passenger vehicles. In an attempt to prevent catastrophic accidents with these types of vehicles, there are a variety of regulations and law established at the state and federal level; however, that does not mean truckers and trucking companies always abide by them.

When a tractor-trailer is overloaded, it significantly increases the chance of a variety of risks that can lead to the severe injury or death of innocent motorists. As a driver, it’s important to recognize the risks an overloaded semi poses, so you can remain vigilant on the road.

Thousands of wrongful injuries and deaths occur each year because of negligent truck drivers. These accidents, with the proper precautions taken, could have been avoided. If you think you see an unsafe driver on the road, you have the legal right to report their driver.

Causes of Unsafe Truck Driving in Kentucky

Distracted Driving. While Kentucky law allows talking on cellphones while driving, they do not allow texting, instant messaging, or emailing. Other forms of distracted driving include eating, drinking, reaching for fallen objects, and adjusting a vehicle’s internal controls.

Driving Under the Influence. In Kentucky, commercial vehicle drivers are not allowed to exceed a blood alcohol content of 0.04 percent. If you see a truck driver drifting, nearly striking other cars or objects, driving without headlights at night, or erratically braking, that driver may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Some of the deadliest auto accidents involve a tractor-trailer and passenger vehicle. As you might imagine, the truck normally fairs better than the car. While you already know it’s important to remain focused on the road in front of you at all times, it’s important to recognize that just because you can see a truck doesn’t mean it can see you.

Kentucky Truck Accident Statistics

If you’re a resident of Kentucky and frequently hear about truck accidents, you may be wondering what the facts really are. These statistics come from the Kentucky Transportation Center’s Analysis of Traffic Crash Data.

• In Kentucky, a truck is a vehicle with a registered weight of 10,000 pounds or more.
• Counties with the highest truck accident rates contained an interstate highway or had a large number of coal trucks on the road.
• From 2012 to 2016 there was a 13 percent increase in truck accidents in Kentucky.
• In 2016, there were 9,380 truck crashes in Kentucky.
• On average, 61 percent of truck collisions involved impact at the front of the truck, 21 occurred in the rear, 11 percent happened on the left side, and 7 percent happened on the right side.