Episode 80: Calloway County personal injury attorney Jeff Roberts reviews tractor trailer accident data from the Kentucky State Police. This is the most current, published report from the KSP, but it offers some very interesting insights for people to consider, especially as summer driving increases.
The Kentucky State Police publishes a Traffic Collision Facts Report on an annual basis. The most current year available is 2022 and we’ll be using this as a basis for today’s discussion.
Jeff Roberts has been practicing for over 32 years in Western Kentucky. His primary office is located in Murray (Calloway County) and his secondary office is in Hopkinsville (Christian County). Motor vehicle accidents, including trucking collisions, make up the largest part of his practice.
Jeff takes the time to offer practical advice, via his podcasts, to help people understand how the law works and how he can help with their injury cases. Here are a few recent episodes:
- Motorcycle Safety: https://jeffrobertslaw.com/motorcycle-safety-tips-and-advice/
- Summertime Driving Tips: https://jeffrobertslaw.com/summertime-safe-driving-tips/
- Multiple Vehicle Collisions: https://jeffrobertslaw.com/multiple-vehicle-collisions/
- Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents: https://jeffrobertslaw.com/pedestrian-accidents-and-bicycle-accidents/
Collisions on Interstates and Parkways
In the KSP Traffic Collision Facts Report, page 10 ranks motor vehicle accidents by roadway. I-24, which is relatively short compared to other Kentucky interstates, had 777 vehicle collisions. I-65, which is much longer had 2,381 collisions in 2022. I-69 only had 273 collisions that year.
In Western Kentucky, there are several prominent parkways. The Edward T. Breathitt (Pennyrile) Parkway had 176 collisions in 2022. The Julian M. Carroll (Purchase) Parkway had 150 wrecks. The Wendell H. Ford (Western Kentucky) Parkway had 283 motor vehicle collisions. The Western Kentucky Parkway had the highest number of collisions compared to all other parkways in Kentucky. The Martha L. Collins (Bluegrass) Parkway came in second with 230 vehicle collisions in 2022.
In Episode 20, Jeff discussed Safe Driving Tips around Tractor Trailers. During the summer, there is an increase in road construction. Reduced speed zones and stopped traffic can increase the risk of a car accident. Jeff reminds us that semis take a lot longer to accelerate and require a longer distance to come to a safe stop. It’s important to exercise increased caution when you’re driving near a tractor trailer. Episode 63 specifically focused on multi-vehicle collisions on Kentucky roads.
Contributing Factors in Trucking Collisions
Page 33 of the report lists various factors that were involved in 2022 Kentucky trucking collisions. In 2022, there were 9,437 truck collisions, including 86 fatal collisions. In total, 1,956 people were injured that year by a tractor trailer accident.
Jeff has handled many motorcycle accident cases typically involving very serious injuries. A collision with a large truck, especially at highway speeds, can result in even more catastrophic injuries and traffic fatalities.
According to the report over 200 collisions involving tractor trailers involved distracted driving. This statistic is separate from the 3,191 collisions involving some type of inattention (the largest, single-contributing factor in 2022).
Page 17 of the report breaks out the types of factors that contributed to the trucking accident, more narrowly focused on mechanical issues with the tractor trailer such as defective breaks, tire failures, improper loads, etc. Mechanical failures accounted for 666 collisions involving trucks, that year.
Jeff explains how the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is involved in placing restrictions and guidelines on commercial truck drivers for their safety and the safety of other vehicles on the roads. Driver fatigue is a significant contributing factor in many tractor trailer accidents. Generally speaking, commercial drivers are limited to 11 consecutive driving hours, and then, they must be off for 10 consecutive hours. Over a 7-day period, they are limited to 60 hours, or 70 hours in an 8-day period.
As an experienced tractor trailer accident attorney, Jeff is extremely familiar with the regulations pertaining to commercial drivers. There are very specific rules governing what they must do and how that information needs to be reported/stored. Given the severity of the injuries often involved in a trucking accident, the insurance company for the trucking company fights hard to try to shift all or part of the blame onto the other driver(s) involved in the wreck.
It’s fairly common for forensic experts to be hired to investigate what was going on at the time of the wreck. Was the tractor trailer mechanically sound? Was the truck driver in compliance with federal regulations? What data exists in the “black box” that may provide insights into the crash? These experts can provide detailed reports and testimony the attorney will use during the settlement negotiations and any litigation that may take place.
While speeding was a factor in 58 trucking collisions, the report indicates that driving too fast for road conditions was a much more significant factor (282 collisions), in 2022. This might include wet roadways, icy road conditions, etc. The category of “not under proper control” was a factor in 1,398 collisions.
Jeff points out the tractor trailers often drive on state, county and local roads either in transit or to make a delivery. Highway 80, for instance travels through Bowling Green, Hopkinsville and Mayfield. Highway 94, 121 and others also regularly have a lot of tractor trailer traffic. The smaller roads typically have sharper curves, which can result in load shifts, skids and other issues for the CDL driver.
The Cost of Hiring an Attorney
While many people worry about attorney fees, Jeff Roberts handles motor vehicle accident cases on a contingency fee basis. In Episode 56 answers the question, “What Is a Contingency Fee?” Briefly speaking, it doesn’t cost you anything to speak with Jeff about your injury case. There are no upfront fees to hire Jeff. His fee and expenses are based on whether he’s able to successfully settle your case or win it at trial. The fees and case expenses are deducted from the award. This would include the cost of various experts and depositions, which are normal parts of a trucking accident case. If Jeff is unsuccessful, he absorbs all of the expenses and forfeits his attorney fee.
What Do Other Clients Think About Jeff?
We always encourage listeners to read the Google Reviews Jeff Roberts has received from many of his clients. A 5-Star rating and the comments are earned recognition and demonstrate Jeff’s commitment to his clients. As a solo attorney, he has more Google Reviews than some firms with multiple attorneys. Jeff shares the credit with his staff at the Roberts Law Office. Successfully representing a victim of an automobile accident is a team effort. It’s why Jeff likes to say his firm offers small town service with big city results.
Jeff Roberts Represents Injured Clients Throughout Kentucky
With offices located in Calloway County and now Christian County, Jeff has a history of representing personal injury clients, workers’ compensation clients and social security disability clients across the state. He’s represented clients from Paducah, Bowling Green, Louisville, Covington, Whitesville and many other Kentucky locations. He’s not just a Western Kentucky injury attorney.
We hope you found this episode insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!
Is It Time to Speak with an Attorney about Your Truck Accident Claim?
The office phone number is (270) 753-0053 or toll free at 800-844-5108. For more information, visit www.JeffRobertsLaw.com. This podcast is meant to provide information and is not legal advice. Jeff’s principal office is located at 509 Main Street, Murray, Kentucky. Co-host Jim Ray is a non-attorney spokesperson. This is an advertisement.
