Driving While Professional: Could Truckers Have Helped Prevent Thursday's Deadly Pileup?

FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Driving in the snow and ice can be challenging, even for experienced local drivers. As the tragic 133-car and 18-wheeler pileup in Fort Worth on Thursday morning demonstrated, local motorists may have been unprepared to navigate the icy conditions.

But what about professional truck drivers, who should have known what to expect that day and should have reacted accordingly?

"Unlike other motorists, professional truck drivers are trained to manage hazardous road conditions. They also are equipped with additional resources beyond radio traffic and weather reports," says Steven C. Laird, a Fort Worth attorney. Laird is one of only 11 Texas lawyers board certified in Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

"Truckers often have electronics that allow them to get detailed weather information from other truck drivers, as well as direct communications from their dispatchers about road conditions."

"They should use their extensive training and experience in handling and making decisions about driving an 80,000-pound truck into or during such weather-related events," Laird says.

Preparing for and knowing about dangerous driving conditions can help prevent accidents and injuries if drivers are willing to take the time to better understand what they are up against BEFORE they hit the roads. This is even more true for commercial motor carriers and professional truck drivers, who are specifically required to follow safety regulations for the industry.

"Federal Trucking Safety Regulations require 18-wheeler drivers to use 'extreme caution' in 'hazardous conditions,' including reduced speeds and even parking when conditions are too dangerous to continue," says Laird. "These safety rules are for the protection of the traveling public, including the truck drivers themselves."

Being careful is everyone's obligation, but professional drivers must play by a different set of safety rules. A 4,000-pound car is often no match for an 80,000 truck, especially in hazardous weather conditions, and the additional safety rules take that into account. 

"All of us should use caution in icy conditions, but professional truck drivers need to step up and do the right thing. If the rules are broken, lives are often permanently affected," says Laird.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 17 percent of all vehicle crashes happen during winter conditions. And with more inclement weather forecast for our area in the coming days, drivers should do their best to prepare for the worst. (https://www.nhtsa.gov/winter-driving-safety)

Laird says that following some simple tips from the American Automobile Association can keep you safe:

1. Stay home! Do you really need to be out in bad weather?
2. Slow down! You may not have the road traction you think you do.
3. Keep your distance! You might need extra time to stop suddenly
4. Check your brakes! Apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal
5. Don't stop on a hill! Inertia works both ways – forward and backward – especially on ice

(https://exchange.aaa.com/safety/driving-advice/winter-driving-tips/)

MEDIA AVAILABILITY:

As a frequently sighted expert and media contributor, Steve Laird is available to discuss safety issues relating to automobiles, 18-wheelers, and commercial trucks.

Steve can be reached for interviews through media contact Kelly Hart 817-874-6486, [email protected].

ABOUT

Steve Laird has been an attorney for over 35 years and is one of only 11 lawyers in Texas to achieve NBTA board certification in Truck Accident Law (as of February 2021). Steve leads a firm of Fort Worth personal injury attorneys and truck accident lawyers. (www.texlawyers.com)

Steve is often recognized by his peers, by the media, and by outside organizations for excellence in the practice of law. He has been named to the top 100 "Texas Super Lawyers" list by Thomson Reuters and featured in Texas Monthly magazine (2003-2013, 2015-present). He has been selected an "Attorney of Influence" by his peers as published in the Fort Worth Business Press. Steve served as President of the Fort Worth Chapter and the State of Texas Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates and as President of the Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association. He has also served as a Director of the Tarrant County Bar Association.

For more information about Steve or The Law Offices of Steven C. Laird, P.C., visit www.texlawyers.com, call 1-817-874-6486.

SOURCE Steve Laird