Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers: Heavy Trucks Not Immune to Winter Road Hazards

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As the remnants of this year’s first major winter storm finally begin to melt away, and with nearly two months of winter still ahead of us, now is a good time to remind drivers of the dangers of winter travel, especially when sharing the road with large commercial trucks. Driving through snow, ice, wind and whiteout conditions is dangerous in any vehicle, though these conditions may impact commercial trucks to a greater extent due to their size, weight and limited maneuverability. Poor weather reduces visibility and affects vehicle performance and stability, thereby increasing the risk of all types of truck accidents including:

  • Underride accidents
  • Rear-end collisions
  • Jackknifed tractor-trailer crashes
  • Multi-vehicle pileups
  • Rollover accidents

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has strict guidelines for what truck drivers should do when they encounter hazardous conditions such as snow, ice, sleet, fog, mist, rain, dust or smoke. Commercial truck and bus drivers are required to reduce their speed and use extreme caution when encountering such conditions. If conditions become sufficiently dangerous, the driver must pull over to a safe location and wait until conditions improve.

While some weather-related truck crashes are unavoidable, many are the result of truck driver negligence. Professional truck drivers have a duty to respond appropriately to adverse weather conditions. Too often, however, truck drivers are encouraged to stay on the road to meet their scheduled delivery times, even during extreme weather. Fortunately, the law allows injured victims and their families to seek compensation by filing a personal injury lawsuit against the driver who caused the crash.

Determining whether the truck crash was caused by driver negligence or was unavoidable due to road conditions can be a difficult and complicated process. For this reason, it is highly advisable to consult a qualified Maryland truck accident lawyer with experience handling these types of cases. Our attorneys have the resources and the knowledge to uncover the true cause of the wreck. If the accident was caused by truck driver negligence, we will prove it.

Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Fight for Victims of Trucker Negligence

If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a weather-related crash involving a large commercial truck, you may be entitled to compensation to help pay for medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. Contact us online or call 800-547-4LAW (4529) to arrange your free consultation with one of our seasoned Baltimore truck accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton. A knowledgeable member of our legal team is available to take your call 24 hours a day.

Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie and Towson, allowing us to represent injured truck accident victims and their families throughout Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Marylands Western Counties, Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Parkville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood and Elkridge.