Dangerous weather is predictable, and must be considered

Last week, I was in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The weather was mostly nice and comfortable, but one day, a thunder storm warning was issued. The warning stated that 70 mph winds were expected, with hail the size of marbles and both lighting and thunder. Sure enough, the storm came through as predicted. As I watched the thunderstorm roll in, I saw many semi-trucks speeding down the highway. Truckers were trying to beat the storm. Truckers should plan for dangerous weather Part of the job of a professional trucker is to plan for weather conditions. Drivers need to look at impending weather conditions, and plan for: Excessive heat; Heavy rain; Thunderstorms (including lightning and hail); and High winds. Truck drivers are supposed

No Comments

Is the trucker to blame when a semi-truck tips over in high wind?

It’s a complicated question. As a lawyer, my first response is often “it depends.” When a semi-truck tips over, it’s certain that something has gone wrong. We need to determine what exactly went wrong in order to order to understand who is at fault, and what should have been done differently. When a semi-truck tips over because… …the trucker didn’t prepare for weather conditions. In this case, it’s likely that there was a semi-truck rollover because the driver failed to consider and prepare for high winds. Part of the job of a professional trucker is to plan for weather conditions. Drivers need to look at impending snow or rain, and also possible high wind speeds. They are supposed to check

1 Comment

How truck drivers can avoid semi truck crashes in the snow

Winter Storm Diego flooded parts of California last week. It dumped rain and snow across Texas, breaking snowfall records in several cities. As it moved over the Appalachian mountains, the snow and ice knocked out power for about 300,000 people, and in some areas, left nearly two feet of snow. There were more than 700 winter storm crashes reported in North Carolina alone. One semi-truck driver lost control and the tractor-trailer went off the highway and into a river. Truckers reported being stranded in their 18-wheelers, unable to traverse the snow and ice. Winter Storm Diego is unusual because it is effecting areas that are not prepared to manage a serious snowfall. While this storm’s snow and rain didn’t affect us in the Pacific

1 Comment

This is the bad weather crash that truckers are trained to avert

People think of the Pacific Northwest as a rain-drenched forest. But driving the high-desert climate of eastern Oregon and Washington is a very different experience. This is I-84. It is the main route through Eastern Oregon, and into Idaho—especially for semi-trucks. On a November afternoon in Eastern Oregon, meteorologists predicted wind gusts at 55-60 mph. The wind kicked up dust in the dry desert area. In the dust storm that day, there was more than one bad weather crash on I-84, resulting in one death and some very serious injuries. Among the injured was the woman who was driving this car. She had a broken neck, a skull fracture, and spinal cord injury. A highway dust storm As the dust blew along I-84, several truckers drove into what police

No Comments

What did the jury know? Perspective on jury verdict of $89 million

Earlier this month, a Texas jury issued an 89.6 million dollar verdict against Werner Enterprises, a Nebraska-based trucking company. The case involved a 2014 crash that killed a 7-year-old, paralyzed a 12-year-old girl, and resulted in a traumatic brain injury for a teenager. The verdict has been controversial because of the unusual facts of the case. A Werner driver was westbound on I-20. The pickup truck carrying the children was traveling eastbound, lost control, went through a grass median and into the westbound lanes. The Werner truck struck the pickup truck. An attorney for the motor carrier issued a statement: Werner plans to appeal the jury verdict. What did the jury know? The fact is, we don’t know what the jurors know.

No Comments

Jackknifed semi-truck on black ice causes massive crash on I-84

The images are shocking. The first collision was between a jackknifed semi-truck, and a passenger truck driven by Kaleb Whitby. His vehicle spun around and flipped upon hitting the semi-truck, and he could see another tractor-trailer coming directly at him. Saturday’s semi-truck pile-up in Eastern Oregon involved between 50 and 70 cars, according to Oregon State Police. Dangerous driving on black ice “Black ice” is a thin coating of glazed ice on the roadway surface. It forms from freezing rain, or melting ice and snow, when the temperature is within a couple degrees of freezing. In colder conditions, black ice will form on the highways because of the heat caused by tires on the road. Driving on black ice is

No Comments

Dangerous weather is predictable, and must be considered

Is the trucker to blame when a semi-truck tips over in high wind?

How truck drivers can avoid semi truck crashes in the snow

This is the bad weather crash that truckers are trained to avert

What did the jury know? Perspective on jury verdict of $89 million

Jackknifed semi-truck on black ice causes massive crash on I-84

Categories

Contact Coluccio Law

CONTACT US TODAY 206-826-8200