Alabama Car Accident Lawyer Blog

A wreck between two 18 wheelers on Interstate 20/59 in Tuscaloosa Wednesday night tied up traffic for hours. The Tuscaloosa truck accident occurred when the driver of southbound tractor-trailer lost control swerved into the median then into the northbound lanes and collided with a Fed Ex truck and trailer. As a result of the horrific impact both trucks caught fire. John Spencer, of Tuscaloosa was injured when one of the trucks hit his 1992 Buick. Terry Jackson one of the truck drivers was also injured in the crash.

At this time there is no indication of what caused this crash. When an accident like this occurs the investigation into the accident will likely include a drug test for each truck driver as well as a review of the driver's log books as well as the truck itself. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates the hours of service of truck drivers IE how much time they can drive before they have to rest. For more information on this topic see the Alabama Injury Attorney Blog post: Truck Accidents - Driver Fatigue and Hours of Service Regulations.

A truck wreck on US Hwy 72 in Huntsville, AL has sadly claimed one life and sent four others to Huntsville Hospital. The crash happened Sunday about 9:40 am near O'Bryan's Steakhouse. A semi-truck and SUV collided causing the SUV to flip several times. The driver of the SUV, Roberto Carlos Tlalmanalco-Cienpeugos, was ejected from the vehicle and died as a result of his injuries. Mr. Cienpeugos family was transported to Huntsville Hospital. According to Don Webster of HEMSI the Cienpeugos family is from Morgan County. Police are still investigating the wreck.

In 2008, there were 7,123 truck accidents in Alabama, which resulted in 1,769 injuries. Further, in 2008, 132 people were killed in truck accidents in Alabama. As Huntsville Truck Accident Attorneys we know the dangers 18 wheelers pose on the Alabama's highways due to their size and weight. An accident that might be a minor fender bender with another car can be deadly when a semi-truck is involved.

A truck accident in Colbert County, Alabama has left a Florence man in critical condition. The truck wreck occurred on Alabama Hwy 20 just after day break. Aubrey Riley of Florence was severely injured when his truck slammed into the rear of a log truck. Riley was flown to Huntsville hospital. Several of the logs struck the cab of Riley's pick up and even went through the windshield. Alabama State Troopers are still investigating the crash.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations which regulates and mandates the procedures for operating semi-trucks on US highways has a section on Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Electrical Wiring - Title 49 - Part 393. This section regulates the types of lights that are required on eighteen wheelers . As experienced Alabama truck accident attorneys I would be very interested to determine if the log truck involved in this wreck meet these guidelines as this may be a key issue as to the cause of this accident given the wreck occurred at day break.

A truck accident in DeKalb Co., may have left some thirsty. The eighteen wheeler wreck occurred on Highway 35 which is known to be a dangerous spot for tractor-trailers. The driver of the Bud Light truck was pinned inside the truck when it overturned. Fortunately, firefighters from Fort Payne, Alabama were able to extract the driver and while he suffered some broken bones he looks to make a good recovery. The same can't be said for several hundred cases of beer. Many southerners enjoy beer and wrecks, it's called Nascar, but this is one accident that would make any Nascar fan shed a tear at the useless loss of all that beer.

A car accident involving a dump truck on Hwy 331 in Montgomery County, Alabama has sadly claimed the life of Tiffany Weeks, 18, of Luverne (Crenshaw County). At the time of the wreck, Ms. Weeks was driving a 2004 Pontiac Sunfire. Alabama State Troopers are still investigating the cause of this wreck.

This crash re-emphasizes the dangers of these large trucks on Alabama highways. A car accident that would only be a minor fender bender with another car can be fatal if it involves a truck of this size. Thus, we encourage everyone to please be very cautious when driving in and around 18 Wheelers as you may see them but it does not mean that they see you!

For safe driving tips preventing truck accidents visit roadsafeamerica.org

It appears there is a correlation between an increase in the number of Alabama State Troopers on our highways and a reduction in car and truck accidents. During this past Memorial Day Holiday, Alabama State Troopers again cranked up their Take Back the Highways Campaign. According to the Alabama Department of Public Safety, 16 people were killed on Alabama's Highways from May 22-31, which is down 11 deaths from last year when 27 people lost their lives in Alabama automobile accidents.

Alabama Troopers gave more than 24,700 traffic citations during this campaign, which includes more than 8,200 speeding tickets and almost 7,000 for seat belt and child restraint violations. With over 4.6 million people now living in Alabama that means there are now more drivers on Alabama's Highways than ever before. While no one likes getting a speeding ticket, if having more State Troopers on Alabama's Highways will make them safer then more state troopers need to be added.

Continue reading "More Troopers Equals Fewer Car Accidents and Deaths on Alabama's Highways" »

A horrific early morning Truck Accident on I-359 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama has claimed the life of Tawanna Davis of Duncanville, Alabama. According to the Tuscaloosa News website, the wreck occurred when Ms. Davis hit a retaining wall just before 5:00 am. Ms. Davis was driving a laud for McLeod Trucking out of Cottondale and was on her way to Jasper when the truck accident happened. It's unclear at this early stage what caused this tragic crash.

A tractor-trailer collision with a car on U.S. Highway 280 in Smiths Station, Alabama (Lee County) killed one person. The truck accident occurred at the intersection of Lee County Road 248 and Hwy 280. Glenda Baggett of Smiths Station, Alabama was sadly killed when her Chevrolet sedan collided with a 2006 Freightliner truck driven by Ronnie Howard, Sr., of Midway, Georgia. Alabama State Troopers are still investigating the motor vehicle accident, but initial reports indicate Ms. Baggett may have failed to stop at a red light. According to a report by a local television station WTVM, this is a very busy and dangerous intersection. According to the Alabama Department of Public Safety, in 2008 there were 18,025 Alabama auto accidents that were caused by one driver failing to yield the right of way.

The most recent Alabama car accident and Alabama truck accident statistics from 2008 show a decline in the number of automobile accidents and the number of people injured and killed on Alabama's highways. In 2008, 964 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in Alabama, which is down 13.2%. Further there were 123,969 wrecks reported in 2008, which is down 8.3%. This decline is likely linked in part to the down turn in the U.S. economy as Alabamians tried to save money by driving less and by driving slower to conserve fuel.

2008 Alabama Auto Accident Statistics

• One motor vehicle accident was reported every 255 seconds.

• One person was injured in a traffic crash every 14 minutes and 47 seconds.

• One person was killed in an automobile accident every 9 hours and 6 minutes.

• Most Alabama wrecks (72.1%) occurred in urban areas, but most fatalities (67.1%) occurred in rural areas.

• For each person killed, there were 36.9 injured.

• Of all fatal wrecks, 47% occurred at night.

• The 2008 pedestrian death toll was 72.

• There were 98 fatalities among motorcycle or moped riders.

• Bicyclists accounted for 4 fatalities.

A Greenhill, Alabama (Lauderdale County) car accident this past Friday on U.S. Highway 43 has tragically killed 3 people and severely injured another. The North Alabama auto accident occurred when the driver of a 2006 Chevrolet HHR SUV attempted to turn west across the highway when it collided with a Semi-truck and trailer driving southbound on Hwy 43. According to reports, the weather and icy road conditions played role in the cause of the wreck. The driver of the 18 wheeler was uninjured in the accident.

According the Alabama Department of Public Safety, there were 475 Alabama motor vehicle accidents in 2008 that occurred when the roadway was Icy/Slushy. Further, there were 2,168 auto accidents in Lauderdale County, Alabama in 2008, 558 of which resulted in someone being injured. In 2008, 15 people died in Lauderdale County car and truck accidents.

A new federal ban on texting by the DOT hopes to reduce Trucking Accidents. The DOT announced on 1/26/10 a new federal guideline banning texting while driving commercial motor vehicles. The federal ban goes into effect immediately and applies to drivers of 18 wheelers who driver in interstate commerce and drivers of commercial buses and vans who carry more than eight passengers. Truckers who violate the new texting ban are subject to civil or criminal penalties of up to $2,750.00.

The state of Alabama is also trying to reduce the number Alabama trucking accidents by passing a state law banning texting while driving. The bill has already cleared the Alabama House of Representatives and if the bill passes the Senate it would become law and ban drivers of all vehicles from texting while driving.

As a part of its campaign to reduce the number of car and truck wrecks due to distracted drivers, the DOT has launched a new website at www.distraction.gov. According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, drivers who text while driving are more than 30 times more likely to be in a wreck than non-distracted drivers.

An early morning Birmingham, Alabama truck accident has tragically killed a passenger who was in the sleeper berth of the truck at the time of the wreck. According to reports, the 18-wheeler overturned as it was traveling on the ramp to U.S. Hwy 280 from the Red Mountain Express. The initial investigation indicates the tractor-trailer may have been traveling too fast to make the curve. The victim was identified as Maja Tomevska of Illinois. Our condolences go out to her family and friends. In Alabama, under these circumstances where a passenger is injured or killed in a car or truck accident, the injured person or their family can not typically bring a claim against the driver of the vehicle they are riding in. Alabama has what is know as a Guest Passenger Statue, which generally prohibits a passenger or their estate from bringing a personal injury or wrongful death claim against a driver of a vehicle in which they are riding. Some noted exceptions that would allow such a claim to brought are: if you can establish wantonness on the part of the driver; establish the driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs; or the passenger compensated the driver for the ride. Essentially, under these types of facts, the plaintiff must establish that the driver was either not giving the plaintiff a gratuitous ride or that the driver's conduct was reckless and/or wanton.

A motor vehicle accident between a car and 18-wheeler on Interstate 10 in Gulfport, Mississippi has led to a Mobile Alabama truck driver being charged with leaving the scene of an accident. According to Mississippi TV station WLOX, the Mobile truck driver turned himself in after seeing an interview of the victim on television. Police indicated the semi-truck driver struck the other vehicle and knocked it down an embankment trapping the other driver for several hours before helped arrived. Many Alabama car and truck accidents are caused by hit and run drivers. Under Alabama law if the hit and run driver is not identified a claim can be made for the injured party by filing an Uninsured Motorists claim. Alabama case law essentially states that if an injured party can establish that a "phantom vehicle" caused the accident then they can recover uninsured motorists' benefits. Unlike many states, Alabama does not require actual physical contact between the "phantom vehicle" and the injured party's vehicle. If you or someone you know has been injured by a hit and run driver it's important that you hire an experienced Alabama uninsured motorist attorney.

A Phenix City, Alabama (Russell County) motor vehicle accident between a semi-truck and car has resulted in the death of an elderly Phenix City, Alabama couple. According to a report, the auto accident happened at the intersection of U.S. 280 and U.S. 80. Following the accident, both bodies were sent to Montgomery for autopsies. The investigation into the east Alabama car accident is still ongoing. In 2007, there were 1,932 car and truck accidents in Russell County, Alabama 703 people were injured in these wrecks. Further, 12 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents in Russell County in 2007. Phenix City saw 1,352 auto accidents in 2007, with 430 people injured in these crashes.

A truck accident on 15th street in Tuscaloosa, Alabama between an 18-wheeler truck and Alabama Crimson Ride bus early Friday morning injured the drivers of both vehicles. According to the Tuscaloosa News report, the bus, which is used to transport students to and from classes at the University of Alabama, was empty at the time of the accident. The semi-truck subsequently ran over a curb and a fire hydrant busting the gas tanks on the truck. A hazmat crew had to be called into contain the gasoline spill. If you have been the victim of a truck accident contact the Tuscaloosa car and truck accident attorneys of Martinson and Beason, P.C.