On the morning of August 1, 2006, Dan Lindner waved goodbye to his wife and two sons as they departed in their packed minivan for a family reunion in Ohio. Once traffic came to a halt on Interstate 80, an International 9400 semitrailer could not adjust its speed in time and crashed into the Lindner’s minivan. That was the last time Lindner ever saw his family alive. The accident was fatal for all parties involved, Lindner’s wife and children all died instantly at the scene.
Unfortunately, the story of Dan Lindner’s tragic loss is all too familiar. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, fatal truck accidents happen on average 11 times every day and kill about 4,000 people each year.
Although there has been a steady initiative to implement stricter regulations within the trucking industry, there has been an 18% increase in fatal truck accidents since 2009. This increase in fatal accidents can be attributed to overly tired drivers, companies that don’t screen for previous record violations of their drivers, and a surging demand for goods. According to the American Trucking Association, the industry will need to add nearly 100,000 drivers each year over the coming decade to keep up with the expected growth of the overall freight tonnage in the United States. As the number of truck drivers on the road increases, so will the likelihood of fatal truck accidents.
If you or someone you know have been injured or killed in a truck accident, contact the attorneys at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner today by calling (713) 222-7211 or toll free at 1-800-870-8584.