McAllen Truck Crash Settlement Reveals Dangerous Trucking Company Practices

We settled a case this week that highlights the dangers that occur when small trucking companies think they can ignore the safety rules.

The case involved a small-familiy owned trucking company out of California.  The company sent its three drivers on regular routes between California and South Texas.  Even though it was a small outfit, in order to have the privilege of operating an interstate trucking business it had to become licensed as a motor carrier.  To become licensed, the owner had to fill out a form promising to become familiar with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, and to audit its truck drivers' log books to ensure that the employees were not driving more hours per shift than allowed by law.

Unfortunately, this trucking company ignored all of the promises it made.  It allowed its driver to falsify is log books, and driver more hours than permitted by the hours of service regulations.  What does that mean to the motoring public?  That drowsy drivers are operating 80,000 pound 18-wheelers on the same streets as our families.

The tired driver in this case ended up on crowded 10th Street in McAllen, where he made a right turn from a straight-only lane.  He crashed into our client's vehicle, causing serious injuries.

The only bright side to this tale is that we were able to uncover all of these safety violations and secure a substantial settlement for our client.  I hope the trucking company learned a lesson, and will clean up its act before it injures someone else.