Trial is now underway in a case stemming from a 2012 accident where a tractor-trailer struck a disabled vehicle on I-75. A woman and her 12-year-old son were sitting idle in their stranded vehicle after it had been struck in a prior accident by another driver who fled the scene. The first collision left their vehicle idle in the middle of the highway, where it was then struck by the tractor-trailer at such a high rate of speed that it carried their vehicle over 1,000 feet from the point of impact, the force of which proved fatal to both.
Attorneys for the victims’ family allege that the driver of the tractor-trailer was overly-tired at the time of the collision, and because the disabled vehicle’s hazard lights were flashing, that the truck driver had 35 seconds from the time he saw the flashing lights to stop his truck and avoid the accident. Witnesses allege that the truck’s engine was revving at the point of impact, potentially indicating that the truck may have been on cruise control and that the brakes were never applied, at all.
The family’s attorneys also allege that the truck driver’s employer should have been aware of his poor habits because of frequent inaccuracies in his driver log. Florida truck drivers are required under state and federal law to maintain driver logs reflecting certain information, including the number of hours driven on a given day.
Defense attorneys maintain that the truck driver was not negligent in causing the collision and that the darkness on the roadway prevented him from seeing the disabled vehicle. Defense attorneys also contend that the driver of the vehicle that caused the initial accident was ultimately responsible for the deaths because her alleged negligence caused the vehicle to become disabled in the first place.
Accidents involving tractor-trailers occur often in the South Florida region, and are common on roadways from Fort Lauderdale to Davie, Weston, and other local areas. These collisions carry with them inherent complexity so if you find yourself involved in a collision with a tractor-trailer, be sure to consult an experienced and skillful Fort Lauderdale trucking accident personal injury attorney to ensure that your interests are competently represented.
For further information on this topic or any other, feel free to contact the Schulman Law Group at (954) 349-3300, or at info@www.schulaw.com
