MICHIGAN TRUCK ACCIDENT FACTS AND CAUSES
Negligent and unfit truckers driving out-of-service trucks weighing 80,000
or more pounds are barreling down Michigan highways at this moment. With more
Americans dying in truck accidents every year than in Iraq and Afghanistan
combined, our expert truck accident attorneys have put together this truck
accident resource center to educate Michigan drivers as to the causes, types
and reasons for truck accidents. Knowledge is one tool that can prevent such
tragedies.
Nearly one in four heavy trucks are so mechanically unsafe that they are operating
illegally on our highways and upon inspection, are declared out of service.
In turn, more than 110,000 people are killed or injured each year in crashes
with heavy trucks. Our accident attorneys have compiled several other statistics
on national truck accidents.
Michigan averages more than 100 fatal truck accidents and 5,000 truck accidents
causing serious personal injury every year. Our accident lawyers have compiled
additional local statistics.
As of October 2008, there were 1,087 Michigan-based commercial trucking companies
with less than satisfactory safety ratings. The data is proof that those
companies’ records indicated the commercial motor carriers were out
of compliance with one or more safety requirements or showed “substantial
noncompliance with safety requirements.”
With its industrial economic base, Michigan has more trucks on its roads, and
more major highways than most other states. That’s one reason there
are so many tractor-trailer accidents on Michigan roads. Our accident lawyers
discuss more reasons Michigan has so many truck accidents every year.
There is another side to punitive damages that many people don’t realize,
and it plays an important role in why there are so many truck accidents in
Michigan. Accident lawyers cannot recover punitive damages in Michigan against
trucking companies that knowingly hire unqualified, unfit truck drivers who
commit safety violations that cause accidents.
Trucks with service and safety violations and negligent truck drivers are two
of the leading causes of Michigan semi-truck accidents. Michigan lawyers
outline some of those negligent violations.
Truck driver fatigue contributes to hundreds of serious car accidents each
year in Michigan. There are federal laws to curb the hours truckers spend
on the road, but irresponsible trucking companies putting their bottom line
ahead of safety push truckers to drive over hours, causing preventable accidents.
Michigan accident lawyers explain that Michigan weather does play a role in
local truck accidents, but it’s not as significant as many people think.
Given trucks’ huge size, there are many types of possible truck accidents,
which the truck accident lawyers from Michigan Auto Law have grouped into categories.
Due to the increasing congestion of Michigan roads and highways, people are
using public transportation buses more frequently. In accordance, the number
of personal injuries and wrongful deaths from bus accidents in Michigan is
skyrocketing.
If you have additional questions or wish to speak to a Michigan
truck accident lawyer directly about your circumstances, please call Michigan Auto Law for
a free consultation at (800) 777-0028. You can also use the free consultation
form. There is absolutely no fee or obligation.
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