Hazardous Conditions and Semi Tractor-Trailer Accidents
In Indiana, as I m sure is true in many parts of the Country there is an old saying. If you don’t like the weather, give it a minute, it will change. This is especially true in the winter were it can be in the 50s one day and the next we can have a foot of snow on the ground. The snow melts and can turn to ice and everything is a mess. It is for this very reason that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations include a provision for the operation of large trucks in hazardous conditions. We have included the language of the rule below so that you may familiarize yourself with the obligations of the truckers around you while on the road. We all know that semi tractor-trailer crashes can causes serious personal injury and even wrongful death. Inclement weather not only increases the possibility of a large truck crash, but increases the possible harm done. Not only will the black ice on the road cause the trucker to lose control, but will cause the truck to take much longer to stop, increasing the energy dissipated in the trucking crash. This energy is transferred to you and your family during the collision. The more energy transferred to you and your car, the greater the injury and damage to you and your family.
If you and your family or friends are involved in a semi tractor-trailer collision or a highway accident, and have suffered serious personal injury or wrongful death, the expert Indianapolis personal injury attorneys at Young & Young Law know the rules of the road, we know the science and physics, and we know how to work effectively in the Courtroom. We can Help – Contact Us Today!
Subpart B – Driving of commercial motor vehicles
§ 392.14 Hazardous conditions; extreme caution. Extreme caution in the operation of a commercial motor vehicle shall be exercised when hazardous conditions, such as those caused by snow, ice, sleet, fog, mist, rain, dust, or smoke, adversely affect visibility or traction. Speed shall be reduced when such conditions exist. If conditions become sufficiently dangerous, the operation of the commercial motor vehicle shall be discontinued and shall not be resumed until the commercial motor vehicle can be safely operated. Whenever compliance with the foregoing provisions of this rule increases hazard to passengers, the commercial motor vehicle may be operated to the nearest point at which the safety of passengers is assured.