Road Hazards for Trucks

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) oversees the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and these two organizations play an important role in commercial vehicle travel in the United States today. Traveling on the roads and highways of Florida in dangerous road conditions is dangerous for any vehicle. However, operating a large commercial vehicle with truck road hazards present is even more hazardous. While the FMCSA strives to improve the safety of all roads where commercial trucks travel, there are many truck road hazards that increase the likelihood of a traffic crash.

One of the biggest issues outlined by the FMCSA is that far too many commercial vehicles drive too fast for the current conditions on the roadway. Even something as seemingly simple as wet roads can cause a wide range of catastrophic, often fatal auto accident injuries. Therefore, it is imperative for all truck drivers in Florida to be well aware of the most common truck road hazards in order to avoid them or know how to navigate them when they are unavoidable.

Gordon & Partners maintains decades of experience in dealing with truck accidents throughout the state of Florida. Sadly, many of these types of traffic accidents involve severe injuries and fatalities, as the sheer weight and size of a typical commercial truck is enormous. When a truck driver is unable to react to the changes in road conditions, they must be held liable for the damages in which they cause. If you or a loved one has been involved in a crash due to truck road hazards, our truck accident lawyers are prepared to take your case today.

To learn more about your legal options, please complete a Free Case Review form on this page.

Types of Truck Road Hazards

Truck roads hazards range significantly depending upon a number of situational factors. Preparing to safely navigate a vehicle in these conditions can be difficult; however, maintaining a sense of the most common truck road hazards will place Florida motorists in a better position to avoid a potential accident. Adverse road conditions, road debris, and any type of hazards increase the likelihood of a traffic collision. These dangers can exist both on and off of the road and may be formed from vehicles, non-vehicle, weather conditions, and other roadway environmental factors.

When operating a motor vehicle basically any distraction or atypical happening can be deemed a potential danger. While avoiding some of these hazards may be impossible, maintaining an awareness of the most frequent dangers will help drivers to react in the safest way possible. The following truck road hazards are most commonly found on Florida’s roadways:

• Debris: typically causes by weather conditions, debris can range from sand to asphalt to ice to water to litter and from glass to auto parts to plastics, etc. Any debris present on the road threatens a driver’s ability to safely navigate from one place to another.
• Potholes/Uneven Roads: beyond the damage that uneven roads and potholes can cause a vehicle, these hazards are also potential triggers for serious motor vehicle collisions.
• Pedestrians: trucks are large structure with an inability to stop quickly or make sudden movements. As such, pedestrians who cross the street in front of an oncoming truck often cause the truck to react quicker than its capacity, which causes a number of serious accidents.
• Children: children are also unpredictable. When a child is left unattended and walks into oncoming traffic, there are a variety of potential deadly situations that may occur.
• Animals: animals on the sides of the roads and highways are unpredictable. Therefore, when an animal enters a roadway, a truck will often swerve to avoid hurting the animal. Unfortunately, this often causes severe traffic crashes to occur.

From a general standpoint, there are certainly a wide range of hazards that all truck drivers must account for when operating a commercial vehicle on Florida’s roads and highways. Unfortunately, even those truckers who are well-versed in these possible hazards may be unable to react quickly enough, especially due to the large size and weight of their vehicle. When a traffic crash occurs, the accident victims deserve to be compensated for their losses.

Gordon & Partners Represents All Florida Accident Victims

Gordon & Partners has proudly served the Florida community for many decades. In this time, our truck accident lawyers have come to understand the vast and complex set of rules and regulations outlined by the FMCSA. As a result, the members of our skilled legal team are able to apply the FMCSA rulings to better serve the clients that we represent. We always strive to achieve the MAXIMUM compensation possible for our clients.

The experienced personal injury attorneys of Gordon & Partners strongly believe that when the negligence of a Florida trucker causes injury or harm to you and your family, this person must pay. If you or a loved one has suffered due to truck road hazards, you may be entitled to compensation for the losses in which you have endured.

Complete a Free Case Review form above to get started today.