Truck Accidents - Speeding

Speeding is one of the leading causes of traffic fatalities, no matter what the vehicle. If a small passenger car can turn into a deadly weapon at high speeds, the potential for damage caused by an 80,000 pound truck speeding down the highway is almost unimaginable. Truck accidents involving speeding are dangerous and often deadly – and they are almost always instances of negligence which could have been prevented.

Under Pennsylvania's laws, if you have been injured in a vehicle accident that was caused by another person's carelessness or recklessness, you may be entitled to recover damages that include medical costs, property loss, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Please call Munley, Munley & Cartwright's truck accident lawyers toll-free at (800) 318-LAW1 for a free assessment of your case or use our online contact form.  We have offices conveniently located in Stroudsburg, Carbondale, Hamlin, Hazleton, Scranton, and Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Speeding - A Major Cause of Truck Accidents

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), truck driver speeding is a common cause of fatal or injury-producing accidents with other vehicles. Because commercial trucks are so much larger and heavier than passenger vehicles, they are more difficult to control at high speeds. Trailers can flip over, causing the truck cab to “jack knife” or flip, and suddenly multiple cars and people are involved in a serious collision.

Many roads have reduced speed limits marked specifically for trucks, especially on narrow, winding roads and roads that pass through mountainous areas. Particularly steep areas of highways often have runaway truck ramps for vehicles which reach a speed at which the driver can no longer control the truck.
Truck accidents involving speeding continue to occur, with deadly results:

• 725 accidents involving speeding semis occurred in Pennsylvania during 2007;
• 35 people were killed as a result of those accidents, representing a five-year high in truck fatalities;
• In the same year, almost 10,000 Pennsylvania commercial drivers’ license holders were cited for speeding.

Why do truck drivers speed? The federal government sets specific rules about the amount of time a truck driver can be on the road during a twenty-four hour period. However, trucking companies provide each driver with a deadline for deliveries, and meeting those deadlines may not be possible when all the rules are followed. One way for a driver to meet deadlines without having to circumvent the mandated rest periods is to speed – a few hours of driving above the posted speed limit may make the difference between making the deadline and missing it.

Unfortunately, the results are often tragic and far outweigh the trucking company’s need to make a delivery on time. Trucking accidents are always serious and produce severe and often fatal injuries that leave victims with a lifetime of medical bills and loss.

Contact Our Truck Accident Lawyers Today

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in Pennsylvania by a speeding truck driver, you deserve experienced legal representation from a firm who understands the challenges you face as a result of your injuries – and who is committed to obtaining the compensation you deserve. When truck drivers knowingly engage in behavior that puts others at risk, they must be held accountable, and you shouldn’t have to pay the ultimate price for their negligent and reckless refusal to drive safely.

The Munley, Munley & Cartwright law firm has years of experience in dealing with truck accident claims, including speeding truck driving. Our truck accident lawyers are familiar with all of the techniques that the trucking companies and their insurers may use to influence you to settle quickly and for less compensation. Trucking companies have a team of investigators, adjustors, agents and legal help to protect them. As the accident victim, you need your own team of legal experts to protect you.

At Munley, Munley & Cartwright, our goal is to provide exceptional legal services to our clients. Our truck accident attorneys strive to achieve the highest standard of excellence for the protection of individual rights through team work and the use of our considerable resources and experience. For a free consultation regarding your legal concerns, contact our truck accident lawyers online today or call us toll free at (800) 318-LAW1.

Frequently Asked Question

1. Why is a speeding truck so much more dangerous than a speeding car?

Any speeding vehicle represents danger to other cars sharing the roadway, but a commercial truck is heavier and more unwieldy to operate than a normal passenger car. Heavy-duty trucks often weigh as much as 80,000 pounds and are much longer than regular vehicles. A speeding truck is difficult to control.  If a driver descends a mountain without first adjusting speed, he or she may completely lose control of the vehicle. When a speeding truck crashes into other cars, the added weight and size, along with the speed, all contribute to a dangerous and often deadly collision.

2. Why are trucks allowed on the road if they are so dangerous at high speeds?

Many roads post separate speed limits for trucks that are lower than the speed limits for cars, in recognition of the added danger. Certain roads do not allow trucks, which must take alternative routes. Highways that pass through mountainous areas often are built with runaway truck ramps to help a driver stop an out-of-control vehicle before it careens off the side of the mountain. All of these efforts were designed to help minimize the added risks posed by trucks – but unfortunately, they don’t account for drivers who choose to speed despite the law.

3. Why do truck drivers speed if they know how dangerous it is?

Truck drivers speed for one simple reason – deadlines. Truck drivers are given deadlines by which they must deliver their load, but they also have federal regulations to follow regarding mandated rest stops and maintenance checks. The deadlines cannot always be met without shaving off time, and speeding often seems like the most effective way to gain an hour or two over a long haul.