Earlier this week in Pennsylvania, a truck driver died after getting into a serious accident involving several other cars while trying to enter the highway. According to a report by a local news source, the truck was entering the highway shortly after 3:30 p.m. when it struck two other trucks as well as a car. A life-flight helicopter landed on the highway and took the driver to a nearby hospital critical condition. The driver died later that day.
The accident is still under investigation. No other drivers were injured and several of the other vehicles involved were able to drive away from the accident scene.
Truck Accidents in New Mexico
Although this accident occurred across the country in Pennsylvania, it could have just as easily occurred in New Mexico. In fact, due to the state’s location between several larger states, New Mexico sees a significant amount of semi-truck traffic on its highways.
Unlike some of the East Coast states, New Mexico has long stretches of open road without much in the middle. This kind of driving situation can lend itself to truck-driver fatigue, which is a leading cause of fatal truck accidents.
Trucker Fatigue and the Government’s Regulation of Truck Drivers
Because the United States government recognizes that trucker fatigue is a serious issue, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has enacted certain regulations that require truck drivers to get a specific amount of rest. The regulations require that truck drivers take periodic breaks throughout the day, require that truck drivers only spend a certain amount of hours on the road per 7- or 10-day period, and require truck drivers take at a certain amount of rest time before beginning a new trip.
However, on occasion, truck drivers are pressured by their employers to make the trip faster, and will stay on the road when they should be resting. In some cases, truck drivers will even fill out their requires rest logs fraudulently. An experienced New Mexico truck accident attorney knows to double check rest logs against cell phone records, gas receipts, etc.
What To Do if You Have Been Involved in a New Mexico Truck Accident
If you have recently been involved in a New Mexico truck accident, it may have been due to the fatigued driving of the truck driver. If so, you may be entitled to recover a monetary award to compensate you for you injuries, as well as for any pain and suffering caused by the accident.
Truck accidents are not always as cut-and-dry as they seem. Sometimes, when it seems that one driver is clearly at fault, an investigation can uncover facts that suggest maybe the fault was shared between the drivers. In New Mexico, accident victims can recover even if they are partially at fault. To find out more about the laws of New Mexico and how you may be able to recover for your truck accident claim, contact an experienced and dedicated New Mexico personal injury attorney at the Fine Law Firm by calling 505-889-FINE, or contact the firm online.
More Blog Posts:
Tragic Wrongful Death Case Reminds Trucking Companies Operating in New Mexico and Elsewhere to Properly Maintain Tractor-Trailers, New Mexico Truck Accident Lawyer Blog, January 20, 2013.
Federal Judge Discusses Expert Testimony Requirements in Fatal New Mexico Truck Collision Lawsuit, New Mexico Truck Accident Lawyer Blog, January 14, 2013.