Truck Accident Lawyer in Boise Discusses Truck Highway Safety
Every year, individuals are hurt or killed in accidents involving trucks. When truck accidents take place, they tend to be serious due to the sheer loads that trucks carry. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a truck accident in Nampa or Boise, Idaho, you and your family may be entitled to compensation to pay for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and rehabilitation fees. A truck accident lawyer can assess your circumstances and determine the value of your claim. Trucks are subject to strict federal and state regulations. Drivers are required to abide by hours of service laws and to keep log books. A personal injury lawyer qualified to handle truck accident claims can determine whether a driver or company broke the law and make sure that you receive the compensation you deserve.
Of course, personal injury law only helps families and victims after an accident has already taken place. According to the New York Times, VW in Europe is planning to invest $569 million Euros on developing automated truck technology. If the technology is implemented, it could have an impact on the ways trucks deliver goods. The company wants to test technology that would allow one driver to drive a convoy of automated trucks. Automated trucks have been praised for offering increased fuel efficiency and for safety. According to one report, if the technology is successful, it could reduce carbon consumption by as much as 10%.
Yet, before the technology could be used widely, changes in infrastructure would have to be made to accommodate large convoys. Additionally, automated vehicles will rely on high speed internet to navigate. Cities who wish to use the trucks would have to be adequately connected and infrastructure would have to be able to handle the increased traffic.
Automated vehicles have been praised for eliminating human error from potential causes of accidents. Many truck accidents leading to injury and death result from distracted driving, drunk driving, fatigue, or a driver’s failure to follow the rules of the road. Automated vehicles could potentially eliminate some human error accidents. However, if one human driver is put in control of a convoy of vehicles, and a mistake is made, the error could have tragic consequences. We’ve seen the injuries and damage caused by train de-railings, but if trucks in a convoy hit another vehicle or go off course, the injuries and damages could be astronomical.
At the end of the day, regulators will have to consider the risk and benefits of new technologies. As it stands, truck accident attorneys urge drivers to know their rights when sharing the road. According to USAttorneys.com, if you have been injured in a truck accident, you should take photos, record license plate numbers, and note any statements made by the other driver. Get contact information of all witnesses and drivers involved. Finally, contact a qualified truck accident lawyer in Boise or Nampa, Idaho to protect your rights. The Law Office of Johnson & Lundgreen are personal injury lawyers who fight diligently to protect the rights of victims and families.
