State highways have reduced speed limits for tractor-trailer trucks for a number of reasons. The road can be winding, have steep inclines or declines and be mountainous and/or very narrow.

Truck drivers may be in a hurry to get their loads to their destination and fail to obey the posted speed limit. The dangers involved with speeding trucks of this size are substantial given that they may represent up to 80,000 pounds of steel hurtling down the roadway.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is all too aware of the dangers posed by speeding trucks. This year they have announced that they plan to institute a new regulation that would compel truck drivers by installing speed-limiting devices in their vehicles. These devices would not allow trucks to exceed 68 mph.

This sounds like a good idea but it is by no means a done deal. The notice of the procedure will not even be released until 2012. There is definitely vocal opposition to the rule by truck industry lobbyists. The argument being offered by the trucking industry is that if trucks cannot travel with the flow of traffic on highways, then it can create even bigger problems and cause trucking accidents.

Speeding Trucks

A speeding tractor-trailer truck on Georgia highways can be an accident waiting to happen. If an emergency occurs in front of the truck so that it must come to a sudden stop, the size and weight of the vehicle makes this evasive driving maneuver more challenging than in other types of motor vehicles.

Truck drivers speed for many different reasons, but one of the primary motivating factors is the pressure to get their loads delivered or pick up new ones as quickly as possible. If a truck driver is idle, he is not making money. Sometimes there are fines for loads being delivered late or the load may be refused entirely. The trucking company may have to absorb the costs of delays or loads not delivered. Drivers also may get caught in bad weather or in traffic delays, such as construction zones, and then speed to make up time. Whatever the reason this type of behavior is grossly negligent, especially for inexperienced drivers.

A Case of Negligence

If you are injured or a loved one is killed in an accident involving a speeding truck and the driver and or third parties are found negligent, you may be eligible for financial compensation. You may be able to recover for lost wages, medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, funeral expenses and, in some situations, punitive damages.

Most trucks have what is called a “black box” onboard that stores valuable data like how fast a truck was going at the time of a crash. This evidence along with other information at the scene will be crucial if you think a truck driver was responsible for your injuries in your accident.

If a speeding truck driver caused your accident, then we invite you to contact our office for a free consultation to discuss your situation. An investigation into your accident will need to be conducted promptly before crucial evidence disappears. There may be more than one party at fault for your accident. Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law has been zealously representing the best interests of injured Georgia residents for over 39 years. Our Georgia truck accident lawyers are committed to providing exceptional legal services as part of our goal of being the best Atlanta truck accident law firm in Georgia.