It’s impossible to argue that the sheer size and weight of a semi-truck makes them far more dangerous on the road. If you’ve been in a truck accident and are suffering the aftermath from an injury, you know this first hand.
What’s even worse is that the strict trucking laws and regulations set by the state of Michigan are often ignored or even purposefully broken so that trucking companies can make more money – quite possibly making negligence the cause of your truck accident.
So if you were in an accident involving a semi-truck in Michigan, you need a team of expert attorneys who know every nuance of these specific Michigan trucking laws and regulations to get you the damages you deserve.
Truck Accidents in Michigan Are on the Rise
Being in a truck accident can be traumatic and life-altering. As such, it would be a good sign if the incidence of such accidents were on the decline. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
According to statistics published by the Michigan State Government, there were a total of 14,972 truck accidents in 2021. This was up 2,949 from the previous year.
Of these accidents, 93 were fatal, which made up 6.1% of the total number of auto accident fatalities. This was a 32% increase in fatalities from the prior year. Meanwhile, 2,487 of these accidents caused injuries, affecting 3,369 people.
Interestingly, Tuesday saw the highest number of accidents and October was the most dangerous month. The majority of these accidents involved males aged 25-34 and the most common time of the day for accidents was between noon and 3pm.
Yet, all of these statistics don’t change the fact that truck accidents continue to be a huge problem. And one of the biggest contributing factors is negligence on the part of the truck driver and/or trucking company.
What Would Make Negligence the Cause of Your Truck Accident?
Experienced truck accident attorneys are no strangers to hearing the horror stories behind why their clients have been injured in a truck accident. Some of them are downright egregious.
Disregard for Rules of the Road
Every driver on the road is expected to follow the same traffic laws. Of course, there will always be those who fail to yield, run a red light, or put the pedal to the metal. The problem is, when a trucker does this, the resulting accident is typically more devastating to the smaller vehicle involved. And every truck driver should know this.
Then there’s the matter of driving under the influence. While the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit is .08% for the average driver, truck drivers have a stricter limit of .04%. Despite this, some truck drivers choose to push their luck and put everyone around them at risk.
Long Hours of Driving
To avoid the hazards that can result from fatigue, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) set forth regulations to restrict the number of hours truck drivers can operate their vehicles before they must rest. They are required to log their hours to verify this.
Many drivers, however, openly disregard these regulations. To make matters worse, they may keep a second “fake” logbook containing false information about the number of hours to evade being caught.
Trucking Companies Skimping on Costs
It could be that your accident had more to do with the trucking company than the trucker who works for it. This is still negligence.
Because trucks endure a lot of wear and tear, it’s crucial they get regular maintenance and repairs. To save on the expenses that come with this, trucking companies may try to cut corners – thereby causing trucks to fail and causing accidents to happen.
Trucking companies may also attempt to cut costs by hiring unqualified workers to load cargo on the trucks. When cargo shifts during transport, it can throw off the truck’s balance and cause an accident. In addition, improperly loaded cargo is more likely to fall into the path of other vehicles. And it’s those other vehicles that take the hit.
It shouldn’t be this way.
Don’t Keep Paying for Their Mistakes
Was negligence the cause of your truck accident injury? If you feel this is the case, don’t wait any longer to get experienced representation.
The truck accident attorneys at Kajy Law truly care. They are ready to use their combined 133 years of legal experience to help you get the settlement you deserve after your truck accident.
So get started today. Reach out by calling 877-KAJY-CARES. Or, if you prefer, fill out our contact form to schedule your free consultation with our skilled truck accident lawyers. You’ll be glad you did.