Trucking Accident Prompts Truck Ban on California Highway

According to the Land Line Magazine, a 90-day ban on trucks is in effect for a stretch of California highway. The temporary ban on trucks went into effect on April 5, 2009. The ban comes in the wake of a deadly truck accident that left two people dead and twelve injured.

On April 1, 2009, a big rig truck lost its brakes on a downhill stretch of Angeles Crest Highway. As the truck slalomed down the steep grade, it struck several vehicles before crashing into a bookstore.The driver of the truck, a Brazilian man with limited English skills, has been charged with vehicular manslaughter and awaits trial. One of the charges made against the driver is that he ignored a posted “No Trucks” sign on the roadway, thus creating the potential for a deadly accident.

One question that springs to mind is the role of the shipping company or other corporate entity in allowing a driver to operate a vehicle without knowing if he could read and understand road signs. If the company was deceived by the driver as he subverted safety checks and training checks, then the possibility exists that other drivers may be behind the wheel of commercial trucks and in a similar position to ignore or fail to comprehend critical road conditions.

If you have any questions regarding wrongful death lawsuits in Southern California, or how liability and negligence are determined in a civil court, please contact the Los Angeles truck accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas.