The Dangers of Commercial Truck & Tractor Trailer Accidents in the Tampa, Florida Area & Beyond

Whether you're on a two-lane road in St. Petersburg or an interstate highway in Tampa, your car is no match for commercial trucks and tractor-trailers. Simply due to their size, weight, and limited maneuverability, commercial trucks and semis present a considerable risk to your car and others on the road.

Just by looking at them, it's easy to see why giant commercial trucks can be dangerous in an accident. In addition to the commercial trucks themselves, often the loads they carry are hazardous, too. From toxic chemicals to flammable liquids to heavy machinery, many cargo items would be deadly if they spilled onto the roadway.

Anyone who is injured during an accident with a commercial truck, semi, or tractor-trailer in the Tampa, Florida area should speak with experienced Tampa auto accidents attorneys right away. The federal, state, and local laws governing heavy commercial trucks are complex and lengthy, requiring the knowledge of an attorney to protect your legal rights. Furthermore, the commercial truck driver responsible for the accident was probably working at the time, which could mean the truck driver's employer is liable for your injuries, too.

The Tampa auto accident law firm of Dale Appell, P.A. has years of familiarity with commercial big rig accidents in our area. While most commercial drivers are responsible and careful citizens, our experience has shown us that there are several areas of negligence in the commercial driving field, such as:

• Failure to do proper background checks—Some commercial truck drivers have a record of reckless driving and substance abuse, yet they are still able to drive if a trucking company fails to fully vet their employees.
• Trucker fatigue—Federal laws are in place that require truckers to sleep a certain amount of hours a day, but truckers routinely ignore these laws.
• Poor truck maintenance—Before every trip, truckers should inspect their rigs for safety, but time and money constraints may prevent regular inspections from occurring.
• Speeding—The faster they arrive at their destination, the faster commercial truck drivers get paid. This may motivate some semi drivers to exceed the speed limit, even though this is extremely dangerous. Speed may also motivate truck drivers to continue traveling through unsafe weather conditions.

Since commercial trucks, tractor-trailers, and semis are regulated in the weight of their loads, the number of hours they can travel at a time, and the roads they are allowed to travel on, there are multiple ways that these vehicles can be held liable for the injuries they cause. However, to prove this negligence, accident victims need sound legal advice and counsel.

Please contact the Tampa auto accidents attorneys from the law firm of Dale Appell, P.A. for more information about your rights after being injured in an accident with a commercial truck in the Tampa, Florida area. You may call us or fill out the form on our “Do I Have a Case?” page for a fast, free assessment of your case.