As a country, we rely on commercial vehicles for everything from transporting livestock and food products to car parts and construction material. This means, however, that there are more commercial vehicles on the road than ever, which significantly increases other motorists’ chances of being involved in a serious accident. Some of these accidents occur due to manufacturer negligence or a defective vehicle part, while others can be chalked up to speeding or driver error. Perhaps one of the most frustrating types of truck accidents, however, is the rollaway accident, which is almost always the result of a driver’s failure to set his or her parking brakes. Fortunately, it is possible to recover compensation for property damage and injuries resulting from these kinds of crashes, so if you were involved in a rollaway collision, you should consider reaching out to an experienced Florida truck accident lawyer for help with your claim.
Rollaway Accidents
As their name suggests, rollaway accidents occur when a vehicle, usually unoccupied, rolls away from where it was parked. These accidents can almost always be attributed to negligence on the driver’s part, whether it takes the form of failing to conduct brake inspections or forgetting to set the air brakes. While the vehicles may initially start off at slow speeds, they can accelerate quickly if parked on even a slight decline. Even when commercial vehicles don’t reach high speeds, they can still cause significant damage and serious injuries, as these vehicles, which often weigh upwards of 80,000 pounds, are both much taller and much heavier than anything else on the road. This means that even when a rollaway doesn’t result in any physical injuries, it can cause devastating property damage to any vehicles or residences located nearby.
Driver Responsibility
Rollaway accidents are particularly frustrating because they are so easily prevented. There are, for instance, a variety of preventive measures that can go a long way towards avoiding this kind of crash, including conducting inspections upon exiting the truck. As a part of these inspections, drivers are directed to:
- Ensure that their air brakes are set;
- Check that the ignition is turned off;
- Use wheel chocks if the vehicle is parked on an incline;
- Check the air brakes a second time; and
- Look back at the truck after exiting to make sure that it is secure.
Drivers who fail to take these steps, and the companies they work for, can be held liable for resulting damages. If, on the other hand, an accident is deemed not to be the fault of the driver, but can be attributed to faulty brakes or another vehicle defect, the manufacturer could also be held responsible for accident-related damage.
Florida Truck Accident Lawyers
For help seeking compensation after your own rollaway accident-related losses, please call the dedicated truck accident attorneys at Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum, LLP today. We are available to address your questions and concerns 24 hours a day, so don’t hesitate to call or contact us online for help.