Like other parts of Los Angeles, Woodland Hills is home to a network of highways and freeways, allowing relatively easy access to surrounding areas. While this can be good news for residents and commuters, there are also some downsides to housing such a popular road network. If you speak to a driver in Woodland Hills, they may cite 18-wheelers, semi-trucks, and other large commercial vehicles as being some of the less desirable consequences of the city’s outstanding roads. Not only are these vehicles noisy and potentially disruptive as they haul their loads across the state, but there is also a high risk of fatality when a car collides with a truck. Given how large and cumbersome these commercial vehicles are, this probably comes as no surprise, particularly if you have had some near misses in the past.
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a truck accident, you need expert legal representation from an esteemed Woodland Hills attorney. To access the legal guidance and support you require, call JML Law today at 818-610-8800.
Common Causes Of Woodland Hills Truck Accidents
As with other auto accidents, truck accidents can generally be categorized as caused by either negligence or defective parts. Whilst successfully representing countless truck accident victims, our legal experts have deduced that the most common causes of these collisions in Woodland Hills and across Los Angeles tend to be as follows:
- Driver fatigue: With trucking companies often incentivizing their drivers to deliver ahead of schedule, thereby effectively paying bonuses to those who do not take sufficient rest breaks, driver fatigue is a common – and potentially fatal – condition.
- Distracted driving: Generally involving a cellphone, GPS unit, or another mobile device, distracted driving also accounts for a large proportion of Woodland Hills truck accidents.
- Reckless driving, including aggressive driving and road rage.
- Improperly secured cargo loads.
- Overloading of the truck.
- Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Truck company negligence.
- Defective truck parts.
- Improper and inaccurate logbook entries.
- Inexperienced or improperly trained truck drivers.
- Poor visibility.
- Negligent or dangerous behavior of other motorists.
Woodland Hills Truck Accident Statistics
According to figures published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
- 11% of all fatal road accidents involve a truck weighing over 10,000lb.
- 97% of those fatal injuries were inflicted on motorists and passengers in other vehicles.
- 677 truck drivers and occupants were killed in fatal accidents in 2008 alone.
- Truck accidents in Woodland Hills and across Los Angeles have steadily increased yearly.
- Every 16 minutes, somebody in the United States is injured or killed in a truck accident.
- Around one-quarter of truck drivers involved in a fatal accident in 2007 had at least one prior conviction for speeding.
- Braking distance contributes significantly to the severity of truck accidents, with the average large truck requiring 30 times as long to stop as a standard car or SUV.
Schedule Your Free Initial Consultation with a Woodland Hills Truck Accident Attorney Today
If you or a loved one have been injured in a truck accident, you could benefit from the legal expertise of an outstanding Woodland Hills attorney. To schedule your free initial consultation, call us today at 818-610-8800.
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