Missouri Speeding Truck Accident Lawyer

Putting the Brakes on Tractor-Trailer Speeds

There are many reasons speed limits on the highway should be lower for tractor-trailers than passenger vehicles. Big rigs with a full trailer can often weigh around 80,000 pounds. This heavy weight makes the rig more difficult to maneuver than it already is. These large and heavy trucks can crush smaller cars at relatively low speeds. One can imagine the massive destruction caused when a big truck crashes at high speeds.

Tractor-trailers have the potential to cause catastrophic and deadly accidents. When a big rig collides with a passenger vehicle, the occupants of the smaller vehicle often suffer the most severe injuries. When a tractor-trailer accident is caused by a speeding truck driver, injury victims can seek compensation for the injuries and damages the truck driver causes. Call Page Law for more information regarding your legal rights and options after a tractor-trailer accident. Our results speak volumes about our experience.

Why Tractor-Trailers Need to Slow Down

Here are a few reasons why it’s so dangerous for truck drivers to travel at higher speeds:

• Greater stopping distance: It takes longer for a tractor-trailer traveling 75 mph to stop than one traveling 65 miles per hour. When tractor-trailers plow into stopped traffic, horrific injuries and fatalities often result.
• Control issues: Trailers are much more likely to weave out of control and jackknife if the driver jerks the wheel or brakes too hard while traveling at a higher rate of speed.
• Increased damage: Vehicles that are traveling at a greater speed cause more damage and more severe injuries.
• Tire blowouts: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), most truck tires are rated at 75 mph. When they are forced to exceed that speed, there is a much greater chance of the tires failing. Heavy truck tire blowouts were linked to 223 fatalities between the years 2009 and 2013.

The Push for Speed Limiters

Road Safe America (RSA) along with the American Trucking Associations (ATA) is pushing for federally mandated tractor-trailer speed limiters or governors. This proposal to cap truck speeds at 65 mph is also being supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The U.S. DOT is on record in support of speed limiters stating they found a significant safety benefit for trucks equipped with an active speed limiter.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) also conducted a safety analysis study that included data from 20 trucking fleets, 138,000 trucks and more than 15,000 crashes over a three-year period. FMCSA’s analysis also determined speed limiters could help provide a strong safety benefit. These studies show there is a strong argument for speed limiters on large trucks. This will help prevent truckers from speeding on our highways to meet unrealistic deadlines. This will help prevent tragic fatal truck accidents.

Seeking Compensation for Your Losses in Missouri

If you have suffered injuries or losses due to a negligent truck driver, it’s important to understand all your rights. At Page Law, we represent severely injured clients and their families. We fight for your rights and work diligently to help secure maximum compensation for your injuries. Call us at (314) 322-8515.