The ban is a part of efforts by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to deal with the problem of distracted driving. . Secretary LaHood has taken up the issue with great enthusiasm, and has been responsible for a number of recent steps that aim to eliminate these risks.

Last year, a study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute measured the risk of accidents from text messaging by truck drivers, and found that the risk increased by up to 23 times. The Virginia Tech study also measured the effect of distraction from the computers in the cabs, and found that these increased the risk of an accident by up to 10 times. The Department of Transportation has said that it will take up the issue of the use of computers in commercial trucks very soon.

Scott Grossman is a Monmouth County truck accident lawyer, representing injured victims of truck, tractor trailer and semi truck accidents in Freehold, Howell, Aberdeen, Marlboro and across Monmouth County and the state of New Jersey.

Lowering the HOS rules is absolutely necessary, but on its own will not be able to tackle the problem of driver fatigue. The FMCSA has not paid any attention to the problem of sleep apnea, which is another contributor to driver fatigue. The NTSB has recognized the role of sleep apnea in trucker fatigue-related accidents, and has recommended mandatory sleep apnea sleeping for truck drivers. However, the FMCSA has failed to act on these recommendations.

That situation has law enforcement officials focusing on educating motorists about safe driving around 18 wheelers. In April of this year, New Jersey State Police received a grant from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The $800,000 grant will be used to fund a truck safety public awareness campaign that will focus on educating motorists in order to reduce truck accident rates. The program should launch by December, and will include $300,000 to be spent on radio advertisements, and $500,000 on trooper enforcement efforts. The campaign, which will run through September 2012, will also include distribution of education material and enforcement of safety rules. 

• Avoid speeding, or racing a truck. It is the most foolish behavior you could indulge in.
• Know that a truck driver sitting in his elevated cab has several blind spots, and if your vehicle is in one of those spots, it’s almost impossible for him to see you.
• Don’t cut off an 18-wheeler, or make a sudden stop when you are in front of one. Remember these trucks are hauling tens of thousands of cargo, and can’t stop suddenly. The outcome of such behavior is not going to be good for you
• Be patient when you are behind a large tractor trailer. These large vehicles are loaded with cargo, and harder to navigate. Impatience on your part can have devastating consequences for you.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey truck accident lawyer representing victims of truck accidents in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic and Ocean Counties and across the state of New Jersey.

The Bush Administration in its last days, reinstated a rule allowing truckers to drive for 11 consecutive hours, increased from the earlier 10. That rule also cut down the number of rest hours that a trucker could expect, increasing the overall number of hours a trucker could spend driving each week, by 25 percent.

Trucking safety groups had opposed the rule and challenged it, because the administration failed to take into consideration the accident risks from allowing truckers to drive an extra hour per shift.  Earlier this week, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration finally reached an agreement with these groups. The agency has agreed to revise the rule within the next 9 months. 

Every year, an approximate 5,000 lives are lost in trucking accidents, many of which involve fatigued drivers sleeping at the wheel. Ask trucking unions, and they will tell you how truckers these days are under tremendous pressure to drive more hours, which ultimately increases profits for the employer. A trucker who is tired and drowsy and not at his sharpest and most alert behind the wheel, is a danger not just to himself, but also to other motorists. As a New Jersey truck accident lawyer, I would like to applaud the efforts of Public Citizen, and the Teamsters union that were responsible for getting the FMCSA to agree to revise this dangerous rule.

Finally, the National Transportation Safety Board has acted to take note of the problem. It has sent a letter to the Federal Carrier Motor Safety Administration, advising that commercial truck and bus drivers be screened for sleep apnea to diagnose the condition. 

The Harvard study also found that truckers may be at a much higher risk for sleep disorders like apnea, because of their lifestyle. A typical truck driver works long hours. Rest and meal breaks may be irregular, and food available at truck stops may be high-fat and unhealthy. This can contribute to obesity, which is one of the risk factors for sleep apnea.

Mandatory screenings for sleep apnea must be a compulsory part of every truck driver’s medical certification process. As a New Jersey truck accident lawyer, I hope that the NTSB recommendations will lead the way for a federal mandate for sleep apnea screenings.

Every year 5,000 people are killed in fatal truck accidents across the US. In New Jersey, 47 people were killed in 2008 in accidents involving large trucks. Last year, Bergen County had three accident fatalities, Monmouth County had six, Ocean County had four and Passaic County had one trucking accident fatality. Salem County had the worst ratio of truck accident fatalities with an average of  3.02 people killed per 100,000 persons. With statistics like these, it becomes imperative that we have an FMCSA head who prioritizes truck safety above all else.

I am also concerned about how willing Ferro will be to initiate the kind of tough safety measures that are needed to save those 5000 lives every year. During the confirmation hearings, Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey tried to get Ferro to promise that she would require trucking companies to install safety devices called Electronic On Board Recorders, that can determine and record when the truck is turned on and off, thereby helping to calculate the number of hours the trucker drives. Very often, truckers manipulate log books to be able to drive for more number of hours than the rule stipulates. However, Ferro refused to promise any such thing, and only said that she will conduct a review of the research on these devices.

Kenneth A Middlebusher is a resident of Deptford in Gloucester County. According to police reports, Middlebusher was driving a truck on route 9 in Woodford in Vermont in April 2008 at high speeds, when the tractor trailer overturned and crashed into two other cars. Two occupants of one car were killed instantly, while the driver of the other car died in September. According to police, the tractor trailer driver had been operating the truck at excessive speeds that were too high for prevailing road conditions. Besides, the truck was hauling loads of paper rolls that were not secured properly. Police believe that shifting of the loads may have caused the tractor trailer to overturn.

For instance, driving on a crowded freeway or during rush hour will mean that a truck driver must adjust his speeds in a manner that allows him and motorists to be safe. Besides traffic conditions, drivers must also take into consideration the elements of the weather. Heavy rain, strong winds, snow fall and other poor conditions can impact safe operations of a tractor trailer. In such cases, drivers must slow down so they can maintain control over their vehicle. Unsecured loads are a less obvious, but crucial factor in any truck accident. Because these 18 wheelers carry large and heavy cargo, it's imperative that the cargo is secured properly to maintain balance. Overloading or shift of an unsecured cargo can cause a change in balance, leading to the driver losing control over the truck.

Scott Grossman is an experienced Passaic truck accident attorney representing injured victims of such accidents in Passaic, Haledon, Totowa, Little Falls, Clifton, Paterson and other cities in  Passaic County, and across New Jersey.

As a New Jersey truck accident lawyer, I know that investigating an accident involving a tractor trailer can be a long and complex process that can take months.  Investigations can include talking to witnesses, poring through the driver's log books, hiring experts etc.

There are so many factors that can be responsible for an accident.

• The truck driver may have been fatigued at the time of the crash.
• He may have been driving at excessive speeds. (That can include driving above the posted speed limits for trucks, as well as driving too fast for traffic conditions).
• There could have been a malfunctioning component on the truck.
• Poor design of the highway or faulty road maintenance could have caused an accident.
• The driver could have been driving under the influence of alcohol.

In some cases, there may be a combination of factors involved in a crash, making it more complicated to name parties in a claim.

Jose Rodriguez was driving a passenger vehicle when he apparently lost control of the car, and crashed it into a tractor trailer that was parked on the right highway shoulder. Rodriguez's car bust into flames on impact. He suffered severe head trauma and died.

Interstate 78 and 287 saw five fatalities in 1994, in accidents involving cars crashing into trucks parked on the shoulder. Following that, rumble strips were installed to alert drivers in danger of veering off the road. The Department of Transportation has considered proposals to install rest stops on both 78 and 287, but opposition from locals has put the speed breakers on these plans. Monmouth County truck accident lawyers see such accidents less frequently than other kinds of accidents. But these are still a significant factor in crashes, which is why we should be more concerned about them.

Sleep apnea causes persons to have disturbed sleep when there are interruptions in breathing during sleep. Because of such interrupted sleep, persons who suffer from sleep apnea may suffer from drowsiness in the day time. That’s a dangerous situation when you are talking about a person who is at the wheel of a massive truck.

Truck drivers may be at a greater risk for obesity, which is one of the risk factors for sleep apnea. Irregular meal times and a high fat diet can contribute to a truck driver gaining excessive weight.

As a Bergen County truck accident lawyer, I am concerned at the significant prevalence of the sleep disorder in the trucking population. The Harvard researchers have called for a federal mandate that requires trucking companies to screen their drivers for sleep apnea. I hope the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is listening.

A new legislation that would raise weight limits on commercial trucks is already meeting strong opposition from  truck accident lawyers and victims' families.

Attorneys and victims are joining hands to fight the legislation that would allow large trucks to carry heavier loads than they do now. The efforts against the legislation called the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2009 have involved the families of victims who have lost their loved ones in truck accidents. At least one activist Joan Clay Brook has set off a petition drive mobilizing opinion against the bill that is moving through Congress.

Earlier this year, I had discussed the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act of 2009 which could expand current and weight and size limits on trucks to the entire national highway system. We have far too many accidents involving serious injures and deaths involving these massive vehicles and allowing larger heavier trucks will only increase the risk of danger to smaller vehicles when they have to share the road with them.

Victim’s families have taken a proactive role in making their concerns apparent to legislators. These families include the parents of a young woman who was killed when the wheel of the tractor trailer came loose, and crashed through the windshield of her car.

Tractor trailers at their current size and weight are a risk to motorists. These risks may or may not be a direct result of their size and weight.  I see a lot of accidents that are the result of poor truck maintenance, fatigued or drunk drivers and reckless driving. Nevertheless, larger tractor trailers would simply mean that truck drivers would find it even harder to drive these massive vehicles than they do now. Even with the current weight limits on trucks, we have too many cases of big rigs jackknifing and overturning with devastating consequences for motorists nearby.  

Apparently, the five who were all in their 70’s, were on their way to a family wedding. Their Buick had stopped in traffic in the right southbound lane when a tractor trailer crashed into the stopped car. That set off several other collisions involving at least 6 other vehicles. The Buick burst into flames with the five still strapped inside. At least three other people in another car sustained injuries in the accident. At least one of them is reported to be in a critical condition.

Blood alcohol testing on a tractor trailer is routine procedure following a fatal accident. Police are also likely to investigate if the driver was speeding at the time of the crash.Witness accounts are going to be crucial.

Meanwhile, the Urbano family is mourning the deaths of their parents, two aunts and uncle. The Urbanos have been married 48 years, according to press reports. They had been strong members of their community and local church.  The siblings had been extremely close knit. Jeanette and the three Kanes had been part of 9 siblings born and raised in Jersey City. Their community has been shocked at the sudden and violent deaths of five members of the same family.

 If you have questions about your rights after a truck accdeint, contact a truck accident lawyer at my offfice.

Earlier this month, I discussed the Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act of 2009, a bill introduced by Senator Lautenberg and Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA- S). The bill would extend current size and weight restrictions on large tractor trailer trucks to the entire National Highway System. Current limits are 53 feet  in length and 80,000 pounds in weight. These limitations however, are only enforced on interstate highways, and individual states are free to set restrictions for roads that come under their jurisdiction. If the bill is passed, these restrictions would apply to trucks across 160,000 miles of that National Highway System.

A large heavier truck is going to be even more difficult to navigate on busy highways. Motorists will be at risk from out of control tractor trailers, a jackknifed big rig or a large truck that’s tailgating. While increasing productivity may be important during a time of recession, Monmouth County truck accident lawyers feel that we need to safeguard public safety too. In any case, the costs resulting from accidents involving these large commercial trucks is far too severe to ignore.

There are already far too many serious and fatal accidents involving these large commercial trucks on our highways. Many of these result in life altering injuries like spinal cord injuries and brain injuries  that not only rob the victim of his life as it was before the accident, but also end up heavily straining the public healthcare system, and consequently, our economy. Our existing transportation infrastructure is already bursting at the seams, and is in need of substantial renovation and repairs. With a recession in full swing, finding the money to improve existing highways is going to be hard. Allowing heavier and larger trucks into the situation would simply aggravate an already stressful truck traffic situation.

We can expect opposition from the trucking industry which  would like nothing better than to introduce larger, bulkier trucks capable of carrying bigger loads.  Bigger trucks would make more business sense to these companies, and lead to higher profits. However, it would place smaller passenger vehicles around the country at an even greater risk than the one they face now while sharing the road with a big rig. Besides, the bill would contribute to savings in highway repairs, because of the reduced wear and tear on our roads, thereby preventing other accidents as well..

At least one person was killed and several others injured in an accident involving a truck, a car and a van on Interstate 80 near Roxbury. The accident that took place last week is currently under investigation.  The deceased was an occupant of the car involved in the crash. According to police, he was ejected from his seat when the accident occurred.

The crash involved a tractor trailer, besides the car and a 15-commuter van, and ended with the tractor trailer flipping over. The trailer was loaded with steel beams, and these were strewn all over the highway although we don’t know yet if the other two vehicles struck the tractor trailer or the steel beams. No one in the van seems to have suffered serious injuries.

It's too early to determine the series of events that resulted in this accident. It appears as though the overturned tractor trailer set off the collision of the car and the passenger van. It's easy to understand how that might happen. In an accident involving a tractor trailer, motorists in the vicinity tend to panic and frantically try to avoid hitting the large truck. This can lead to multi-vehicle crashes as drivers around lose control of their cars trying to avoid the massive vehicle. A tractor trailer can also overturn when there is a shift in its center of gravity or when there is loss of control by the driver. There can be a number of reasons why the center of gravity shifts. For instance, a minor collision can cause a shift leading to the truck toppling over. A tire blowout because of defective tires can also send the large truck careening out of control, and eventually overturning. Besides, driving at unsafe speeds can cause the vehicle to flip over. A truck accident can also end up creating an explosive situation when there is a fuel spill after the accident. This places other motorists on the road at an even greater danger.

Police investigating the case are likely to begin by probing the reasons for the truck rollover.  This includes conducting drug alcohol testing on the driver, determining his speed at the time of the crash, and inspecting the truck for signs of improper maintenance. Persons injured in a truck accident caused due to the negligence or reckless driving of the truck driver can claim damages with the help of a truck accident lawyer who can determine the extent of liability.

Sheraz Khan is accused of being under the influence of drugs on September 11, 2008 when he allowed his 18-wheeler to get out of control and veer across several lanes of traffic and into the outbound lanes of Interstate 295 in Cherry Hill. The tractor trailer struck a Volkswagen driven by Texas resident Lawrence M. Wright, and a refrigerator box truck driven by Philadelphia resident Juma Rajab. Both were killed in the crash. Also killed was Renee Lesenko who was a passenger in the box truck. The tractor trailer was hauling heavy machinery at the time of the accident. Khan did not suffer any injuries in the crash. Camden County prosecutors claim that Khan was speeding at the time of the accident, as reported by witnesses. He also didn't seem to have made any effort to slam the brakes just before he struck the first car. Khan was arrested in January of this year.

Monmouth County Truck Accident Attorneys

Victims of a tractor trailer or other large truck accident can file a claim for damages against the trucking company that employed the driver of the truck. A Monmouth county truck accident lawyer will determine a claim amount based on the severity of the injuries, as well as the kind of and number of factors that were possible for the crash. For instance, the driver's log records will have to be inspected to rule out the role of driver fatigue, and fleet maintenance records will have to be probed to see if there was a truck malfunction at the time of the accident. 

The bill, S520 will require all motorists to remove snow and ice from their vehicles before they begin to drive. Sponsored by Senator Nicholas J. Saco (D) the bill applies to both commercial as well as non commercial vehicles, and allows police to pull over motorists whose vehicles are not snow and ice free. Motorists will be required to remove snow and ice from the hood, trunk as well as the roof the vehicle. Although the bill is targeted at all motorists, it is especially relevant in the case of large trucks, like 18 wheelers. A single inch of snow on the roof of an 18 wheeler can weigh as much as 2000 pounds, and the consequences for motorists around the big rig, who are unfortunate enough to suffer the impact of falling ice and snow from the big rig, can be serious. Large slabs of ice falling off a semi could be not only heavy enough to cause vehicle damage, but also injury to drivers and passengers in these smaller cars.

Bergen County truck accident lawyers like me have always been exasperated by the trucking industry's petulance every time any legislation that requires them to make the slightest effort to improve the safety of their vehicles, makes an appearance. Such behavior should not come in the way of this bill being passed.  There are ways for the trucking fraternity to deal with the minor problems they may face enforcing any such legislation, and the industry should  be making efforts to look at how they can best comply with these rules instead of complaining.

The chain reaction crash, was apparently set off when a dump truck, for as yet unknown reasons, crossed the center divider and over from the westbound to the eastbound lanes, eventually toppling over. As the dump truck rolled over, it struck a tractor trailer, and mounds of dirt from the truck began to spill across the lanes. A tire from the tractor trailer got dislodged, and its tire struck an incoming Hyundai. The driver of the Hyundai, Northampton resident Laura Hibbler was killed in the crash. The driver of a Toyota Corolla that also collided against the truck, East Brunswick resident Janet Adamko sustained fatal injuries in the multi vehicle accident. Adamko was returning after spending the 10^th anniversary of her older sister's death at her parent's place. For her parents, the two-day period between 11^th and 12^th of January will now mark the deaths of both their daughters. It's an unimaginable tragedy, and my heart goes out to the Adamko family, and the Hibblers.

We can expect more details to come out when a comprehensive examination of the truck is complete. In a collision involving a truck, a probe will almost always look into the mechanical condition of the truck at the time of the accident. Often, trucking companies can scrimp on periodic inspections of their truck, which can lead to the truck being involved in potentially deadly accidents. Maintenance of the truck, including a complete tuning of the tires, brakes, lights reflectors, and steering wheel mechanisms is an important part of running a safe fleet. Worn out parts must be replaced if necessary, to avoid the possibility of a mechanical malfunction leading to severe crash. In case of truck accident liability litigation, a truck accident lawyer may also conduct his own independent investigations of the truck, including looking at maintenance records to ascertain if the poor condition of the truck was responsible for the accident.

The morning of the 21^st saw a multi vehicle accident on the New Jersey Turnpike that left at least 17 people with injuries, none of which fortunately, were serious ones. The crash involved at least two buses, and a total of 90 passengers. Across northern New Jersey, dozens of other accidents were reported, all as a result of the blizzards that rushed in over the weekend. In another weather-related crash that could have turned into a disaster, four police troopers had a narrow escape when a tractor trailer smashed into an accident scene they were at on Interstate 80 in Hope. The officers were responding to the scene of a crash involving a spin out. A tractor trailer approaching the scene lost control, and skidded into another vehicle before slamming into the fire truck that was stopped nearby. The truck protected the troopers from taking the direct impact of the tractor trailer. 

The holiday season is often an extra busy time for state traffic enforcement officers, and this time it looks as though the holiday accidents statistics will be made worse by the poor weather. As thousands of people begin driving cross state to meet up with family, driving experts are warning motorists not to that assume they are protected by their car and can afford to drive in their usual manner. Consider this - most deaths that occur due to a winter storm are not due to hypothermia, but weather related accidents!

Here are some tips on driving safely in wintry weather:

• Have a mechanic check the battery, anti freeze, ignition systems, thermostat, and brakes in a complete check up of your car before you venture out.
• Install good winter tires. 
• Keep a significant distance between your car and the one in front of you.
• Keep your cars stacked with food, a first aid kit, blankets, newspapers for insulation, and bottled water. Have a piece of colored cloth in the car – it can serve as a flag if you are caught inside your car in the middle of a blizzard.
• Keep your radio turned on for weather warnings, and reschedule your plans if possible.
• If you can, stick to public transport during the holidays.

Heed all warnings, drive extra cautiously, and stay safe this season!

As the administration tries to push through these regulations in a mad rush before it vacates office, truck safety groups and trucker groups continue to worry that these long hours on the job are not good for truckers nor for highway safety. The administration claims that studies have proved that accident rates have declined since the longer work hour rule was introduced.    

Meanwhile, concerned citizens are joining in concerted efforts to fight the administration's rule. 

Although the number of truck accidents has declined, there are still far too many truck accident related fatalities on our highways, compared to passenger car and other traffic accident related fatalities. Any rule that hopes for a change in this situation must take into consideration the unique duties and responsibilities of truck drivers – long hours staring at the road ahead without a break, time away from family, lack of sleep, rest, and timely meal breaks. All these affect a truck driver's capacity, and must form the basis of a long term policy on trucking work hours, hopefully by the new administration. Any losses to the trucking industry must not be an excuse for putting truck drivers' health, and the lives and safety of countless motorists on the streets, at risk.

Truck accident liability

Truck accident litigation in the event of an accident can be an extensive process, requiring the expertise of a truck accident lawyer who can build a winning case for you. If you've been inured in a semi, big rig or 18 wheeler truck accident, contact an experienced New Jersey truck accident lawyer at the Law Offices of Scott Grossman for a free consultation.