How to prove truck driver negligence after an accident in Florida?
Daytona Beach, FL—Truck drivers are assigned the task of transporting heavy and sometimes hazardous loads that can increase roadway risk dramatically. When a large truck engages in a collision, it is often not the trucker who sustains injuries but the others traveling around them. While some truck crashes are brought on by natural causes such as inclement weather, others are caused by truck driver negligence.
If a truck driver’s careless or reckless behavior contributed to an accident in or nearby to Daytona Beach, FL, and a victim is looking to take legal recourse in an effort to recover compensation, they will need to prove fault.
Ways to Prove Fault in a Truck Accident Case
While all drivers are expected to operate their motor vehicle in a safe and cautious manner, truckers are held to a higher standard seeing that an accident involving a commercial truck is likely to cause more severe damage and injuries. While motorists of passenger vehicles can remain behind the wheel of their car for as long as they’d like, truckers are required to follow strict rules that dictate how long they are permitted to operate their vehicle in a single shift.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) refers to these rules as the hours-of-service rules. One way to determine if a trucker is in violation of the hours-of-service rules is to access their electronic logging device (ELD). An ELD “synchronizes with a vehicle engine to automatically record driving time.”1 With the data collected from the ELD, an accident victim can determine if the trucker was operating their vehicle for a period longer than what the hours-of-service rules permits.
Drivers who violate the hours-of-service rules are more likely to fall asleep at the wheel which is a common factor in many of the motor vehicle accidents that transpire on U.S. roads.
Other Forms of Driver Negligence
Fault can also be determined using a truck operator’s driving record which may tell whether or not they had previous driving violations. In addition, it can also show whether the trucker was properly trained to operate the vehicle. Like drivers who disregard the hours-of-service rules, those who have a tainted driving record or failed to undergo the necessary training to operate a large truck are also more likely to cause a motor vehicle crash.
Daytona Beach Truck Accident Attorneys Can Help Prove Fault
Proving a truck driver was liable for causing a collision can be challenging, especially if the trucker or their employer is trying to push some or all of the blame on the victim. Therefore, truck crash victims are encouraged to retain a lawyer who can assist them with proving fault and fighting for the compensation they are due.
If a truck accident victim would like to connect with a lawyer in their area who is qualified and eager to help them with their case, they can contact Pappas and Russell, P.A. at 386-254-2941.
Pappas and Russell, P.A. is located at:
213 Silver Beach Avenue
Daytona Beach, FL 32118
Phone: 386-254-2941
Website: www.pappasrussell.com
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