When a semi-trailer is fully loaded, it can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. On dry pavement, it can take 20 to 40 percent longer to stop than a passenger vehicle. If one of these big rigs impacts with a passenger vehicle at highway speed, the passenger vehicle will be crushed.
Payment By The Mile
San Antonio is an important city for the trucking industry. It’s the second most populated city in the state. Trucking companies are thriving in and around the city, and because most trucking companies pay drivers by the mile, truck drivers are motivated to deliver cargo as quickly as possible. The flip side of paying by mileage is that timely and seemingly unrealistic delivery deadlines can result in too many hours behind the wheel and other unsafe practices that can contribute to a truck accident in San Antonio TX. Here are some of those practices:
- Drowsy or fatigued driving due to sleep deprivation and scheduling demands.
- Speeding and unsafe passing in order to meet deadlines.
- Mechanical issues like worn tires and brakes.
- Improper cargo loading resulting in load shifts that cause jackknifing and rollovers.
- Alcohol and substance abuse.
Shifting Liability
Insurers of large trucks know that they face significant financial exposure in accidents involving injuries and deaths of drivers and occupants of passenger vehicles. In efforts to save money, they’ll try to shift some or all of the liability for the crash over onto the driver of the passenger vehicle. These high stakes cases get complex quickly. You’ll want quality and experienced legal representation.
Contact the Law Office of Jesse Hernandez as soon as possible for a free consultation and case evaluation after being injured or losing a loved one in any truck accident in San Antonio TX at 210-807-8656. You can also use our online contact form at https://www.jessehernandezlaw.com/contact-us/.
