Commercial trucks vary in size and weight but for the most part, they are substantially larger than personal-use vehicles. Most commercial trucks dwarf other vehicles on the road and they can absolutely devastate cars, motorcycles, vans or any other type of vehicle that is unlucky enough to become involved in a truck accident. Because of their immense size and weight, commercial trucks present a number of dangers to other vehicles. Therefore, there are federal trucking regulations in place to protect drivers that share the road with these commercial vehicles.
A recent truck crash in Wisconsin involved a semi-truck and another vehicle. A mother and two children occupied the other vehicle. At around 11 in the morning, on a Friday, the driver of the cattle trailer, 46, neglected to stop at a stop sign and hit the car carrying the three family members, the sheriff’s department said.
The 35-year-old driver of the car, a woman from Wisconsin, was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for injuries. Her two daughters, 2 years-old and 14-months-old, were also taken to a nearby hospital and treated for numerous injuries. The driver of the cattle trailer was not injured in the crash, and the cattle were transferred to a different trailer. The investigation is still ongoing.
Following an accident, if is revealed that a truck driver violated any federal trucking regulations and caused a truck accident to occur, victims may wish to pursue compensation from the trucker or the trucking company. Federal trucking regulations require a number of things of truckers, including that they get adequate rest and do not execute any illegal turns or maneuvers. Uncovering evidence that a trucker violated any of these regulations and using this evidence to provide a compelling case to the court can allow victims to obtain monetary compensation.
Source: Twin Cities Pioneer Press, “Wisconsin: Family of 3 injured in Eau Galle semi-car crash, ” Will Ashenmacher, May 24, 2014