Driving in Texas is dangerous. Texans routinely encounter obstacles – from potholes, mattresses, ladders, and giant spools of cable – while traversing highways that are over ten (10) lanes wide with speed limits of 85-miles per hour. Turn on the nightly news and you are likely to hear about the latest road-rage incident on I-45 or I-610, or the tragic story of someone killed on the side of the road while they were changing a tire. In addition to these hazards, Texas drivers must also share the road with tractor-trailers and other heavy trucks.
In March, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its annual overview of motor vehicle crashes, reporting 4,134 fatal crashes across the country. The Texas Department of Transportation also issued its own report, finding that Texas led the nation in large truck accidents with 580 fatalities. Unfortunately, this is not surprising given the size, weight, and prevalence of these behemoths on the roads. When an 18-wheeler collides with a vehicle, the occupants’ lives are often changed forever. This is also not surprising given the lax safety protocols often implemented by trucking companies. Investigations, often the result of a lawsuit, routinely uncover incidents wherein companies hired dangerous, unfit drivers with numerous violations. The labor shortage following the COVID-pandemic has only exacerbated this problem as there is simply a dearth of qualified truck drivers. As a result, there are more unqualified truck drivers hauling loads of up to 80,000 pounds on Texas highways than ever before. If you have been injured by a commercial vehicle or 18-wheeler, the law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner, and its team of experienced trial lawyers are ready and willing to help.