A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of a laborer who was seriously injured while working on Fort Wayne’s Deep Rock Tunnel project, the largest and most expensive public works project in the city’s history -- estimated to cost nearly a quarter of a billion dollars. The suit notes that on April 16, 31-year-old Tyler...
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Could a rise in delivery truck accidents be linked to the COVID-19 pandemic?
Life as we know it has changed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. How long the coronavirus will stay with us currently remains a mystery. One significant way the pandemic has changed the lives of Americans is the way we shop. Gone are the days of packed retail stores and shopping malls. As more...
Read MoreU.S. saw a slight increase in truck crash fatalities during 2019
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently released preliminary data for its Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) for 2019. The FARS report estimated a third consecutive yearly decrease in traffic fatalities (36,120 in 2019 from 36,560 in 2018). This data is provided to Congress and the public each year. A 1% increase in truck crash...
Read MoreTop safety tips for truck drivers and trucking companies
Large commercial trucks are an integral part of our economy. As we discussed in April, the federal hours-of-service laws were temporarily relaxed for some drivers. The increased demand for essential goods and services has increased the risk of drowsy driving, reckless driving and speeding among truck drivers. To help prevent an upsurge of truck crashes,...
Read MoreWill the suspension of the HOS law lead to more drowsy driving truck crashes?
There is a reason why the federal hours-of-service (HOS) law was put in place in 1938 — to help prevent truck drivers from dozing off behind the wheel and causing catastrophes on our roadways. For the first time since first being enacted, the HOS law has been temporarily suspended for some truck drivers in response...
Read MoreWhat are underride truck crashes?
Underride truck crashes occur when a passenger car gets pinned underneath the trailer of a large commercial truck. Truck crashes generally result in catastrophe and fatal injuries. Underride truck crashes are rarely survivable, however. Once a car gets crushed underneath a trailer, the driver and front-seat passenger will likely be decapitated. Any car occupants who...
Read MoreAre truck drivers with sleep apnea a danger?
Sleep apnea is a serious and potentially fatal sleep disorder that involves loud snoring and repeated stops and starts when breathing. The condition affects about four percent of the population. According to an article in Freight Waves, however, it affects up to 35 percent of truck drivers. The article identifies three types of sleep apnea....
Read MoreWinter weather driving is dangerous, especially when large trucks are present
From the Rocky Mountains to New England, winter is already off to a brutal start, according to The Weather Channel. In mid-December, portions of the Midwest were especially hit hard with snow and ice. Multiple crashes were reported during the storm, resulting in a total of 11 traffic fatalities across the region — two of...
Read MoreRoadside inspection finds thousands of trucks with brake violations
When sharing the road with big rigs, how safe do you think these vehicles are? Last month, we discussed the erratic behavior of truck drivers reported by passenger car drivers in a recent survey. A series of surprise inspections were conducted by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). The CVSA found that many trucks on...
Read MoreHow to safely share the road with trucks
Passenger car drivers often share major roadways with large commercial trucks. If you travel interstates 69 or 469 (or any other major roadway in the Fort Wayne area), you likely see these massive vehicles traveling down the highway at high speeds. Due to the sheer size and weight of large commercial trucks, passenger car drivers...
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