Allen Speeding Truck Accident Lawyer
High speed and large trucks don’t mix. Speeding causes thousands of car and truck accidents every year. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were 450,000 crashes involving large trucks in 2017. This includes 344,000 injuries and over 4,200 deaths.
Victims of speeding truck accidents face a long road to recovery. Many people suffer injuries that require physical therapy or surgery. Some accident victims become temporarily or permanently disabled. A speeding truck accident can impair your ability to lead a normal life.
Additionally, speeding causes millions of dollars in property damage annually. This includes damage to other cars. A speeding truck driver may wreck your care beyond repair. Many victims are unable to afford a replacement vehicle. Without a car, you may be unable to work, go to school, or visit family.
Don’t let a speeding accident involving a truck prevent you from living your life. Contact our Allen, TX law offices today. Our lawyers offer free consultations. There’s zero obligation to you. We will gather details about your accident, help determine liability, and discuss your potential next steps.
You may be eligible for a large settlement to pay medical bills, replace a totaled vehicle, or cover lost wages. An accident lawsuit can also compensate you for pain and suffering. Dial (469) 998-4069 now to schedule your free consultation.
Speed Limits for Large Trucks in Texas
Most adults admit to breaking the speed limit at some point in their driving career. When you’re in a hurry, the speed limit can seem arbitrary or frustrating. It’s also easy to speed when you’re not paying attention. When you’re driving a truck on the highway, you may lose track of the speed limit and break it unintentionally.
Unfortunately, many car and truck drivers become complacent about speeding. If you speed often and haven’t caused an accident yet, you may believe you can speed and still drive safely. This isn’t true. There is no such thing as safe speeding.
In Texas, speed limits are set at a statewide maximum unless otherwise specified. The maximum state speeding limit is 70 mph. However, some interstates and highways are permitted to increase the speed limit to 75 mph, 80 mph, or 85 mph. In cities like Allen, the speed limit is 30 mph for residential streets, 25 mph for school zones, and 15 mph for alleyways.
Always watch for special signs, traffic lights, and workers to indicate speed. Construction work, special events, or other factors may temporarily change the speed limit. You may be fined double you’re caught speeding in a construction zone.
Truck drivers must follow Texas speed limits as well as state trucking regulations. In most regions, large commercial trucks must drive more slowly than cars. Highway speed limits for trucks are 70 mph in 85 mph in most zones. Truck drivers must also keep right or stay in designated truck lanes.
Speed limits protect everyone. When large trucks or other vehicles break the law, they may cause tragic accidents.
Why High Speeds Make Truck Accidents Even Worse
Truck accidents can occur for several reasons. Often, something causes the driver to lose control of their vehicle. Large commercial vehicles like tractor-trailers are difficult to steer due to their size and weight.
If anything impairs a truck driver, they may be unable to avoid a hazard in the road. Being tired, distracted, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol inhibits a truck driver’s reaction time. Their truck may drift into another lane and strike a car in their blind spot. They may also cause an accident by forcing other cars to brake suddenly.
Trucks also need more stopping distance. When a truck driver hits the brake pedal, it takes several seconds for the vehicle to come to a complete halt. Because of this delay, a large commercial truck may travel 300 feet or more before it stops moving. The driver may not have enough time to prevent an accident.
When high speeds are involved, each of these accident risk factors increases dramatically. A speeding truck driver has even less time to react. Speeding also makes it harder to control their vehicle.
Speeding also increases the impact force in a collision. When a large truck hits you, the impact force is calculated using the following formula:
- Truck Mass (Weight) times Truck Acceleration (Speed)
The average big rig weighs approximately 80,000 pounds when fully loaded. Even if the driver is obeying the speed limit, the impact force will be 20-30 times higher than a car.
A speeding truck can be deadly. If a truck weighing 80,000 is traveling 90 mph, the collision impact force is 7,200,000 Newtons. Many accident victims do not survey such a high impact force.
Speeding Accident Injuries
If you get hit by a speeding truck, your injuries may vary depending on the truck’s size, speed, and location of the crash impact. Certain collisions may be more severe than others. For example, speeding accidents that cause your vehicle to rollover tend to produce worse injuries than other collisions.
Common injuries associated with speeding truck accidents include:
- Head Injuries: This includes concussions, skull fractures, injuries to the face, and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
- Neck and Spinal Cord Injuries: Common neck and spinal cord injuries include whiplash, impacted discs, nerve damage, and temporary or permanent paralysis.
- Internal Injuries: Victims may suffer from internal bleeding or damage to internal organs. These injuries often need surgery.
- Injuries to Limbs: Broken bones, cuts, and bruises are common in speeding truck accidents.
Unfortunately, many of these injuries result in high hospital bills. Victims may also require long-term care. Some victims become disabled.
If you need help paying for medical care after a speeding accident involving a truck, use our online contact form or call (469) 998-4069 for a free consultation with an Allen lawyer. Our accident firm will help you with your case. If we don’t win on your behalf, we will not charge you for our legal services. Call now.
