People in Tennessee generally take care to maintain their vehicles and make sure to operate them in a safe manner. We know that the risk of not doing either one of these things could be a serious accident. However, not all vehicle operators and owners take these precautions.
The negligence of a trucking company is at the center of a tragic truck accident that took the lives of six people. The crash occurred after a trucker was following too closely behind an SUV in which the victims were traveling. According to reports, the trucker smashed into the SUV while driving at a high rate of speed on an Interstate. It was only after the crash that the negligence of the company who owned the truck was widely reported.
The trucking company responsible for the truck has had at least 17 traffic violations in the past two years alone. They have been cited for improper lane changes, speeding and following too closely; the very behavior that caused this recent accident.
The company was given a satisfactory rating, despite the violations and warnings from the federal government that encouraged states to take a closer look during an inspection of the trucking company’s vehicles. During 59 inspections of the vehicles owned by this trucking company, 12 resulted in the removal of a vehicle from service due to violations. This is slightly below the national average.
However, during 124 inspections of driver safety and compliance during that same time, seven drivers were removed from service. This is a rate of 5.6 percent which is above the national average.
When accidents like one this happen, it can be devastating for victims and their family members to learn that the truck driver or owner has a history of negligence and reckless behavior. Under these circumstances, it can be important for victims and their families to hold a trucking company or trucker accountable for any damage they cause.