Gainesville Truck Accident Lawyers
Gainesville Truck Accidents
Gainesville, Florida, in Alachua County is home to the University of Florida Gators and, unfortunately, numerous large trucking accidents. Although located in a rural part of Florida, in 2009, there were 76 large truck accidents reported in Alachua County. Although this number slightly decreased from 2005 to 2008, in fiscal year 2010, there were 90 reports of large truck accidents in Gainesville. These numbers include both fatal and non-fatal accidents.
The experienced Gainesville fatal accident attorneys of Farah & Farah will always offer the victims of large truck accidents a complimentary consultation on their injury or a loved one's wrongful death.
Highway 301, which is the main highway to Gainesville, is a rural four-lane highway for big trucks that are travelling through the middle part of the state, and a popular shortcut off I-10. When the University of Florida is in full-swing, traffic numbers can quadruple on Highway 301. More traffic congestion means a higher probability for traffic accidents, particularly between the large trucks and passenger vehicles.
Consider the accident statistics:
- Alachua County had 30 fatalities from traffic crashes in 2009, down from 42 in 2008.
- There were 276 commercial vehicle crashes in the county in 2009 that resulted in 5 fatalities and 175 injuries, a decline from 2008.
- In Florida there were 3,020 crashes of heavy trucks in the state in 2009; 56 fatalities resulted.
- Florida had 1,661 injuries that resulted from large truck crashes.
- According to the 2008 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), Florida ranked a close third in the United States for highest number fatality crashes involving large trucks reporting at 236, with California coming in second at 283, and Texas ranking first at 381.
In order to decrease these numbers, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has recently initiated a nationwide program called Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT). TACT is a high-visibility traffic enforcement program that uses a three-pronged approach to reduce large truck-related crashes, fatalities and injuries: communication; enforcement; and evaluation.
Currently, there are 15 states participating in the TACT program. Texas is one of them; unfortunately, Florida and California are not. For more information about the TACT program, visit www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/tact. With Florida ranking third in the United States over the past several years with the highest fatality involving large trucks, it may be time to look more closely at this program.
Causes of Truck Collisions
While most trucking companies are responsible, there is more competition on the roads today and some companies are willing to cut corners to increase profits. The Gainesville truck accident attorneys at Farah & Farah find that in the push to deliver loads quickly, carriers can overlook large truck maintenance.
A failure to be a responsible carrier shifts the liability for a crash to a negligent carrier who may be held responsible for the wrongful death and injuries that occur to those inside a passenger vehicle. A failure to maintain equipment can result in a brake or tire failure, or inadequate lighting that makes a big rig difficult to see.
When the trucking company is negligent, it can and should be held accountable. A disregard for safety is a violation of state and federal laws and amounts to gross negligence. The Gainesville trucking accident attorneys at Farah & Farah will dispatch a team to the scene of a large truck accident immediately after it happens so that evidence can be preserved. The other side will have representatives on the scene – you should too. Call us in Florida at 1-800-533-3555 so we can get started helping you.