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Current proposals in the House and Senate would continue the freeze on national truck size and weight limits on Federal-aid highways. The sizes would be stuck at 53 feet and 80,000 pounds if the legislation passes.
A source says, “The bills would improve safety and prevent the excessive degradation of roadways, tunnels, and bridges.” The proposed Senate bill, called Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act of 2011, is expected to extend the present weight limit and freeze on triple-trailers. This would be applicable on all 160,000 miles of the National Highway System.
“This legislation needs to be passed to prevent serious injuries and deaths,” a New York City Attorney specializing in Truck Accidents reports.
In fact, many in the public agree and think that any legislation taken to improve the safety of the nation’s roadways is a welcome improvement. Too many families in the nation have suffered the loss of health or life in accidents associated with tractor trailers.
One recent court case awarded a family a $2.4 million in a wrongful death suit brought against a truck driver and his company when the truck driver forgot what length trailer he was pulling and killed a bicyclist.
The Westchester bicyclist was run over by the rear wheels of the trailer as it made a right turn.
The investigating officers on the scene pronounced that the bicyclist was at fault. The family’s attorney, however, conducted an independent investigation. He hired accident reconstruction experts to look for valuable clues as to who was really at fault. The experts found two key pieces of evidence. Apparently, the driver failed to monitor his right mirrors during his turn, and because of this, he thought he was pulling a 48-foot trailer instead of the 53 footer he was actually hauling.
The trucking industry has totaled more than $600 billion annually since 2004, and that number is projected to continue increasing. As a business, it’s understandable that they want to make a profit. But if companies are left to decide on their own weight restrictions and size, the opportunity to make more profit will lead many of them to make the wrong choices. Some of the companies will invariably choose unsafe payloads.
In wrongful death cases, like the bicycle accident above, a qualified New York Truck Accident Attorney is an invaluable resource to call on. Their expert legal counsel and professional dedication will lead them to take all the actions necessary to ensure that your case has a satisfactory ending.