The fall has arrived and soon we will be in winter. It is this time of year that greater care is needed when traveling on our roadways. Often, as I travel on Pacific Northwest freeways, I watch Trucks go speeding by me without regard to the weather conditions. Rain conditions require defensive driver practices. [...]
This October I will mark my 25th year practicing law in the State of Washington. I became a member of the Oregon State Bar Association in 2002. One area of the law that I have focused my practice in is Trucking Law and Trucking Accident cases. I have handled numerous Truck collision cases over the [...]
Trucking cases are often complex, involving multiple legal and practical issues. I have extensive experience with accidents involving tractor trailers, large transport trucks, automobiles and other forms of transportation. Having practiced law for several decades, I have successfully brought justice and significant results to those who have been wronged by the negligence and carelessness of [...]
A commercial semi truck driver must maintain a proper speed at all times. Determining a safe speed for a heavy vehicle depends on many critical factors. Proper speed factors for semi trucks: Traffic conditions; Road conditions and construction; Weather conditions, especially rain, snow or ice; Visibility that may be affected by weather and precipitation, [...]
Logging trucks traveling on our highways and public roadways are a common site in the Pacific Northwest. They are generally traveling with a full load of logs. A fully loaded logging truck must be operated by a skilled and trained driver. Defensive driving practices must be used and road and weather conditions must be [...]
Each day motorists share our public roadways with dangerously overloaded trucks and trucks that do not have properly secured loads. The dangers these trucks present are numerous. The dangers include: Truck loads falling into the roadways or onto vehicles; Trucks and trailers tipping over; Truck drivers losing control of their vehicle; Truckers unable to stop [...]
In 2008, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), there were over 4,000 deaths caused by accidents involving large trucks. Most of the deaths, approximately 2,760 were passenger vehicle occupants. Commons causes of large truck accidents include: *Speeding *Overloaded Trucks and Trailers * Sleep deprivation * Inadequte training * Failure to have a [...]
With the summer months upon us, the hot weather can cause truck tire retreads to separate. Flying tire parts are commonly called "gators", because the shredded tire parts fly at vehicles behind the truck and "bite" at very high speeds. Heavy commercial motor vehicles are heavier, with more miles on the tires than most passenger vehicles. [...]
Although this particular entry does not focus specifically on Trucking Law and Trucking collisions, I thought it was important to share with you the New Child Car Seat Guidelines. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for children younger than 3 years of age, according to reports. In additon, many young children are seriously injured [...]
Motor carriers are supposed to train their drivers. That training should provide the appropriate skills and knowledge which would allow them to avoid preventable a crash— which they call a "preventable accident." In the trucking industry, a "preventable accident" is a crash or collision in which a truck driver or motor carrier failed to act in [...]
