Law enforcement sees pattern of more rear end collisions by tractor trailers
A southbound tractor trailer ran over Robert Groves' Jaguar near Valdosta on August 16th, killing him and leaving just a pile of twisted metal. See news story.
Law enforcement officials saw this as part of a trend. "We're seeing a trend here lately with commercial motor vehicles, they seem not to be allowing enough stopping distance between the vehicles," said Cpl. Jeffrey Kidd of the Georgia State Patrol. Ricky Smith, an accident investigator for Georgia DOT, said "this year we've had several rear end accidents in tractor trailers, just not paying attention, running up on cars too fast and basically running over them."
In my law practice, I'm seeing the same thing. In recent weeks I have started work on two cases in which tractor trailers ran over the rear of smaller vehicles traveling late at night on I-75 through rural Georgia. One of the trucks was southbound from Ohio to Florida, the other southbound from Wisconsin to Florida. Fatigue and sleep deprivation are likely factors in both.
The Shigley Law Firm represents plaintiffs in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases statewide in Georgia, and in other states subject to the multijurisdictional practice and pro hac vice rules in each state. Ken Shigley was designated as a "SuperLawyer" in Atlanta Magazine and one of the "Legal Elite" in Georgia Trend Magazine. He is a Certified Civil Trial Advocate of the National Board of Trial Advocacy, Chair of the Southeastern Motor Carrier Liability Institute and former chair of the Georgia Insurance Law Institute. He particularly focuses on cases arising from truck wrecks and accidents (tractor trailers truck wrecks, semi truck wrecks,18 wheeler truck wrecks, big rig truck wrecks, log truck wrecks, dump truck wrecks).
Mr. Beuaregard is also an exception in this habit. As a small vehicle owner and one who has driven across the USA several times and makes at least three insterstate trips a year, I give truckers a wide berth. But in congested urban areas such as Atlanta and Nashville, following too closely is the norm for both commercial and passenger vehicles.
The rule of thumb I have always used is to allow one car length per ten mph of speed between myself and the person in front of me. That gives me plenty of braking time should the vehicle in front of me stop suddenly, as has happened.
Being alert also pays off as to how close you get.
Excellent article.
