Truck Accident

A tragic intersection accident claimed the life of a Largo woman on the morning of February 9, according to the Bowie Patch. Police reports indicate the 28-year-old woman entered the intersection of Governor’s Bridge Road and Maryland Route 301 and her black Honda Accord collided with a flatbed tractor-trailer that was traveling northbound on the state route. The Largo woman was immediately taken to the Bowie Health Center for treatment, but was later pronounced dead. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured. The Maryland State Police Crash Team is continuing the investigation and asking any witnesses of the accident to call the Maryland State Police at (301) 568-8101.

Despite improvements in features like road design, safety laws and regulations, intersection safety is still a serious problem. According to information from the U.S. Institute of Traffic Safety Engineers, the number of fatal crashes at traffic signals is rising faster than any other type of fatal crash in the nation. In 2002, an estimated 3.2 million intersection-related crashes occurred, which represented 50 percent of all reported crashes. Though intersection accidents are extremely dangerous, when a motor vehicle collides with a large truck, regardless of the location of the accident, the passengers in the car are often the ones to suffer serious or life-threatening auto accident injuries due to the immense size of the commercial vehicle.

Any Maryland resident who has been involved in a truck accident deserves compensation if the collision was caused by the truck driver’s negligence. The skilled Bowie truck accident attorneys with Alpert Schreyer are dedicated to helping truck accident victims get the compensation they need to recover from their injuries and get back on their feet. For a free consultation with our legal team, please call (866) 444-6363.

The U.S Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently announced a change in the hours of service (HOS) policy for commercial truck drivers. The new rule revises the HOS safety requirements for drivers following extensive research done on driver fatigue, and aims to ensure truck drivers get the rest they need to operate safely on the road. The new hours of service regulations reduces by 12 hours the maximum amount of hours a driver can work in a week; the old rule allowed drivers to work 82 hours in a seven day period, but now the maximum number of hours is 70. In addition, truck drivers cannot drive after working eight hours without taking a 30 minute break, which can be taken at any point during the eight hour period.

The FMCSA’s final rule also includes a rest requirement that requires drivers to take at least two nights rest when their body clock demands sleep the most; specifically, this is from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. Dubbed the “34 hour restart” provision, if a driver takes at least 34 consecutive hours off-duty during their work week, he or she is able to restart the clock on the work week. This provision can be used only once during a seven day period. Companies and drivers who are found to be in violation of these new requirements may face heavy penalties. A company that allows drivers to exceed the 11-hour driving limit by three hours or more could be fined up to $11,000 for each offense, and a driver may face civil penalties of up to $2,750 for each offense.

These new FMCSA requirements are an excellent first step to reduce truck driver fatigue and prevent large truck accidents. However, because of demanding delivery schedules, truck drivers may not exercise caution while behind the wheel and may not get the amount of rest they need to drive safely, which can greatly endanger others on the road. If you have been injured in a big rig accident that was caused by the negligence of the driver, the Bowie truck accident attorneys with Alpert Schreyer can help you hold any at-fault parties accountable and receive compensation to help you recover from your injuries. Call (800) 489-1577 for a no-cost consultation.

The American Sleep Apnea Association (ASAA), in association with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), announced that it would hold its 2011 Sleep Apnea Multi-Modal Transportation Conference in Baltimore on November 8 and 9. This conference marked the second in a series of health and safety conferences focusing on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) within major modes of transportation, including ground, air, and rail. The conference sought to bring awareness to this issue in regards to commercial truck drivers.

OSA affects approximately 20% of adults, 90% of who remain undiagnosed. This disorder can cause sleeplessness and severe driver fatigue, increasing a big rig driver’s chance of getting into a serious accident. The FMCSA reports that more than 750 people die and 20,000 are injured each year because of fatigued commercial truck drivers. The group also estimates that approximately one in three commercial truck operators suffers from sleep apnea, whether mild or severe, showing the importance of educating truck drivers on this disorder so they can seek treatment and improve their safety on the road.

Sleep apnea, and OSA specifically, are treatable. Depending on the severity of the individual’s disorder, treatment options for OSA can include:

• Weight loss;
• Surgery
• Nasal decongestant; or
• A breathing mask.

Currently, there are no regulations or laws regarding managing sleep apnea amongst commercial truck drivers. The money for companies to diagnose and treat drivers with this condition may not be available, so it is up to the driver to speak to their healthcare professional if they have been excessively tired or fatigued while on the road.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reports fatigue may be a possible factor in 31% of commercial vehicle accidents, making the likelihood of you being involved in a truck accident with a fatigued driver very high. If you or someone you know has been involved in a Maryland large truck accident due to the negligence of the truck driver, the truck accident lawyers in Maryland at the law offices of Alpert Schreyer can help you get compensation for your injuries. Please call (800) 489-1577 for a no-cost consultation.

The family of a College of Southern Maryland student who was killed on January 21, 2010 by a Cargo Transporters, Inc. truck driver has filed a $5 million wrongful death lawsuit. Attorney Michael J. Schreyer of the law firm of Alpert Schreyer, LLC and attorney for the Mungai family filed the multi-million dollar wrongful death suit on March 3rd in the Charles County Circuit Court against the truck driver and his employer.

King W. Mungai was killed on January 21, 2010 while traveling to class at the College of Southern Maryland when the Toyota Corolla he was driving on U.S. 301 was hit from the side by a tractor-trailer. As a consequence of the crash, Mr. Mungai was forced off the road and into a wooded section south of the Mitchell Road intersection.

The $5 million wrongful death suit filed alleges that the tractor-trailer driver was negligent. The suit is seeking to recover damages for Mungai’s wife and parents including compensation for emotional suffering, loss of wages, and funeral expenses. Although the Maryland State Police originally reported that Mr. Mungai failed to yield to the tractor-trailer, Mr. Schreyer asserted, “We’ve located information that was not included in that police report that we found to be extremely important.”

Defendants in the wrongful death lawsuit include truck driver Gordon Scott Barnes of Connelly Springs, N.C. and his employer, Cargo Transporters. The suit alleges that Barnes ran a red light right before the fatal Maryland tractor trailer crash. Mr. Schreyer stated that a motorist who was heading south alongside the truck and stopped at the intersection saw the truck speed through the light and strike Mungai’s vehicle. In reflecting on the severity of this accident, Mr. Schreyer stated, “This is obviously a horrible case. This guy was killed on his way to class.”

Alpert Schreyer, LLC is committed to obtaining justice for those harmed by another’s negligence. To learn more about the many accomplishments and successes of the firm, please visit www.DCMdLaw.com or call 301-932-9997 for a free consultation about your specific situation.