Busy Spokane roads are the scenes of car collisions every day. The impacts usually result in some fender damage or maybe a crumpled door. But when large trucks are involved, the consequences are often much greater. The weight of semi-trucks can cause more devastation, but add in unsafe speeds, and truck accidents become really scary.
Many local motorists are unaware that truck drivers are subject to a different speed limit than other vehicles on certain routes. This alternate speed limit can affect the liability in accidents. Going too fast for conditions or clearly breaking the speed limit for trucks can prove that a truck driver was reckless and responsible for a collision.
Washington State Truck Speed Limits
Drivers may have seen speed limit signs with two different numbers posted around Spokane. It’s because on faster-moving interstates, trucks have a lower maximum speed that’s allowed. On stretches of I-90, trucks are only allowed to go 60mph, while cars and SUVs can go 70mph.
The speed limit for trucks is explained in Chapter 1 of the WSDOT’s Commercial Vehicle Guide:
“State law also mandates a maximum speed limit of 70 mph, with the exception of vehicles over 10,000 pounds gross weight (large trucks) and vehicles in combination (trucks with trailers, for example). Their maximum speed is 60 mph.”
There’s also the possibility that the truck driver was going too fast for conditions when you were stuck. This duty not to travel too fast for conditions means the posted speed limit should be ignored, and drivers should slow down enough to be able to avoid collisions.
When there’s ice on the road or there’s heavy traffic, truck drivers are expected to show caution and slow down to safe speeds, even if a speed limit sign reads 60 mph for trucks. It can also apply to trucks carrying a huge payload. If slowing down will be more difficult because of the cargo that’s being hauled around, drivers are liable for accounting for it as they travel.
The Revised Code of Washington lays out the duty for all drivers to monitor conditions and hit the brakes accordingly:
RCW 46.61.400
“(1) No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing. In every event speed shall be so controlled as may be necessary to avoid colliding with any person, vehicle or other conveyance on or entering the highway in compliance with legal requirements and the duty of all persons to use due care.”
Truck drivers who break these laws and guidelines put all other motorists on the road at risk of scary collisions. When you can show that a truck driver broke speed limits or went too fast for conditions, it’s much easier to secure support. Insurers can’t get away with shifting blame to other drivers. Evidence of speeding will be key, and a skilled CCD Law attorney can help secure that evidence.
How Can I Prove a Speeding Truck Driver Was at Fault in My Accident?
Proving a truck driver was breaking the law before a collision, or making unsafe decisions, may be difficult on your own.
Truckers are usually backed by a bigger entity, like a trucking company, or even a giant chain business like Walmart. They’ll have the resources to hire teams of lawyers to try to get an employee (the truck driver) off the hook for the consequences in your accident.
When your accident involves a serious injury, as truck accidents often do, it’s wise to trust your case to a skilled Spokane Truck Accident Lawyer. A lawyer fully investigates what happened and can often use the evidence found to force a commercial truck insurance company to write a bigger settlement check.
There are ways you can also gather some evidence at the scene of your accident and afterwards to keep an insurance adjuster honest.
These are also some important steps to take after an accident involving a big rig to make sure you have a strong case:
- Medical documentation. If you are injured in a truck accident, call an ambulance to the scene. Let medics check over every pain and go to the emergency room if necessary. You should also check in with your own doctor in the days that follow. Have your doctor document the injuries and check out any new pain that arises. Follow your doctor’s orders. Make sure you keep any hospital invoices and medical charts you receive.
- Photographic evidence. Once the scene is secure, and if you are able to move around, take photos of the scene. Show the damage to your vehicle and to the tractor-trailer. Take pics of any visible injuries and damage to your personal property, like clothing.
- Eyewitness accounts. Other drivers may have also noticed the truck driver proceeding recklessly and speeding. Get witness contact information at the scene.
- Get full driver’s license and insurance information from the truck driver. Note the company the driver appears to work for. Get an employee number if possible.
- Onboard data. A lawyer can demand data from any onboard computers a truck may contain. This information may prove that a truck driver was going too fast.
- Surveillance video. Cameras on nearby front porches or on businesses may have caught the accident. A dash cam in the truck could have also recorded the entire frightening event. Your lawyer will need to officially request this video before it’s erased.
- Accident Reconstruction. CCD Law calls in collision reconstruction teams to examine the scene and use the data to simulate what actually occurred. This can be powerful evidence for use in settlement negotiations or a trial.
Any evidence you collect at the scene before it’s cleared should be turned over to your attorney as soon as possible. It’s a good idea to allow your lawyer to get started on your case before evidence becomes harder to find and witnesses become harder to locate.
Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer Serving Victims in Spokane and Across Eastern Washington
After a serious accident involving a reckless truck driver, please speak with an experienced Spokane Truck Accident Attorney. Your attorney battles frustrating truck insurance companies to make sure you and your family receive the maximum in compensation for recovery.
Contact CCD Law to schedule a free, no-obligation case consultation. We serve victims across Eastern Washington and are also licensed to represent victims in Northern Idaho after truck accidents.
In our consultation, we’ll be upfront with you about whether we can help you earn more for your injuries or not. If we can’t, we’ll point you in the right direction to file a claim yourself. If you do need our help, you don’t have to worry about how you’ll pay a lawyer. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the money that a trucking company and an insurer must pay you.