Philadelphia: Hit and Run Truck Driver Kills Woman
April 29, 2008

Witnesses told police that an industrial truck, possibly with a red cab and blue trash receptacle on the back, fatally struck a woman, standing on the corner waiting to cross the street.

With a truck that large, it's possible the driver did not know that he struck and killed anyone. If the victim was struck by the side of the truck, there would likely not be damage to the vehicle.

Authorities were still trying to determine whether the victim stepped off the curb and whether the truck driver had a green light as he turned right.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene a short time after she was struck.

Witnesses told police that they did not see the truck driver stop, slow down or speed up after the accident.

see: Philadelphia: Hit and Run Truck Driver Kills Woman

A New Jersey man could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted after being charged with a felony following an accident that left two men dead when their pickup truck was crushed between a tractor trail and a guard rail. (Read Story)The truck driver pleaded... (Read Truck Accident Article)

Two separate tractor-trailer accidents closed Pennsylvania turnpike last week.

First in the morning, a tractor-trailer carrying paper failed to negotiate a turn near the 97 mile marker in Westmoreland County and rolled onto its side. The truck spilled paper onto the westbound lane then caught on fire. The truck driver was not injured. Both lanes were closed as a result of the accident because paper was blowing everywhere possibly blinding drivers. All lanes were closed for several hours.

A little before noon right after the turnpike reopened, a second tractor-trailer overturned near the 126 mile marker in the eastbound lanes. The accident happened near the Allegheny Tunnel in Somerset County.

The truck driver was hauling a load of coal when he lost control on a curve, tipping the trailer onto its side. Both lanes were closed for about three hours while traffic was detoured off the turnpike.

Fortunately, no one was injured.

Source: http://www.dailyamerican.com/articles/2008/04/10/news/news461.txt

There are a number of aspects that are related to trucking safety and one of the most important is compliance. That is, truck drivers must follow highway laws in accordance with state guidelines. One of the most obvious - and dangerous - examples of truck drivers violating safety laws would be excessive speeding. Speeding creates dangerous conditions for the road and puts other drivers at risk. Getting into an avoidable car accident as a result of a truck driver's negligence is hardly a small matter. In fact, it could be the basis for a significant liability lawsuit and deservedly so. As such, if you are the victim of a speeding induced accident seeking proper legal representation would be well advised.

In the news recently a number of truck drivers have decided to protest diesel fuel prices by purposely driving slow on the highway. The purpose of this is to aggravate people so that action against oil companies will be taken. This is a very foolish thing to do because purposes violating the law and creating bottlenecks on the road opens one to a host of liabilities. For example, what happens if an ambulance can not get a critically injured patient to the emergency room in time? Yes, the truck driver responsible for the slow down can be held liable not to mention the inhumanity of imposing such pain and suffering on someone who was not responsible for the actions being protested.

When a truck driver gets behind the wheel of a truck it is assumed that the truck has been manufactured properly. Granted, errors happen and it is not uncommon to recall a truck or car for defective products. Often, this happens without any problem but in some instances defective truck parts can lead to an accident. In such an instance, the driver of the truck may have the ability to file a lawsuit for damages. Clearly in such a situation it is the manufacturer who is at fault and should be the recipient of any litigation and not the driver of the truck although it will be a jury that makes the final determination in that regard.

Some may ask is there a difference between being hit by a car and being hit by a truck. Well, there is a significant difference. When you are hit by a commercial truck there are certain complexities that differentiate a truck accident from a car accident. These complexities revolve around the vehicle code because commercial trucks are held to various additional rules that do not apply to a "regular" vehicle. As such, a truck may be faulted as negligible in instance where an automobile would not. This is why seeking legal representation in a suit stemming from an accident should center on finding an attorney who understands these complexities and knows the various vehicle codes inside and out.

6abc.com - Philadelphia,PA,USA February 15, 2008 (WPVI) -- A truck accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike has left a 10-mile trail of spilled fuel and has forced the closing of the PA Turnpike.

Truck accidents involving commercial trucks, can be catastrophic to occupants in passenger vehicles as a result of what may seem like an insignificant driving error that would occurred without consequence among other passenger vehicles. Yet, every year there... (Read Truck Accident Article)

TRAFFIC REPORT: Careless driving is the cause of a serious crash that shut down I-95 in Bensalem this afternoon, state police said. The accident occurred about noon when a Honda CRV slammed into the back of a slow-moving box truck that had its hazard lights on due to engine problems, police said.