Truck Accidents Aren’t Always Driver-Related: Beware of These Overlooked Risks

If you’ve ever been to Lansing, you might have encountered the world-famous truck-munching bridge fondly known to local residents as “Big Penny.” For nearly a century (it was built in 1928), the paltry 12-foot clearance of “Big Penny,” a railroad overpass crossing Pennsylvania Avenue, has happily chewed the tops off of countless too-tall trucks. This truck-eating span has become such a popular local landmark in Lansing that it even has its own Facebook page dedicated to enumerating its many encounters with unwitting truck drivers who just didn’t see “Big Penny” coming. And not long ago, someone even installed a set of sharp teeth and a pair of googly eyes onto the bridge, an amusing touch perhaps – unless you become one of its victims!

Fortunately, few if any of these tractor-trailer incidents have resulted in major injuries. Which isn’t to say that there have been no significant issues due to “Big Penny’s” voracious appetite. More than once, traffic has been completely stopped for lengthy periods of time when removing a crunched truck took longer than expected. And in recent weeks, some unlucky motorists have reported dangerous rocks crashing down onto their cars as they drove underneath the infamously low railroad bridge.

Sadly, though, “Big Penny” is just one of many truck-related hazards throughout Michigan that often lead to much more serious accidents involving big-rigs and injuring countless innocent victims. Sometimes these accidents are caused by fatigued truck drivers who have broken rules limiting their time behind the wheel, or who have taken illegal drugs, or who are distracted by text messages. But in numerous other cases, factors clearly outside the truckers’ control cause accidents. Let’s take a few minutes to describe these differing dangers in the hopes that sharing this information will help truckers and other drivers alike avoid finding themselves in harm’s way.

The many and varied causes of truck accidents in Michigan

Construction Zones – The Great Lakes State could easily be renamed the “Orange Barrel & Traffic Cone State.” Major construction projects along I-696, I-96, I-75, M-14, and innumerable other roads throughout the state seem to be perpetual. Narrowed lanes, reduced speed limits, and impatient drivers all contribute to more than our fair share of accidents involving both passenger cars and tractor-trailers.

Poor Road Conditions – Beyond the many spots where road work is consistently clogging traffic, there are numerous other highways and two-lane roads throughout Michigan awaiting their turn for major repairs. In fact, Michigan is considered one of the nation’s worst states for overall road conditions, which can certainly contribute to accidents and other incidents resulting from such hazards as potholes that can cause tire blowouts or the dozens of decaying Michigan bridges that are definitely in less than optimum condition.

Wind, Snow and Ice – Semis and box trucks are particularly vulnerable to gusty winds, which can cause them to tip over or force their drivers to lose control. This January, for example, two of those factors (wind and blowing snow) combined to cause a pair of semis to collide on US-131 in Allegan County south of Grand Rapids. That very same day on the other side of the state, a weather-related crash in Lapeer County involving two vehicles – one of them a semi – took the life of an innocent driver.

Improperly Loaded, Unsecured, or Shifting Cargo – Whenever a truck isn’t properly loaded, or its contents shift after making a sharp turn or fast stop, bad things can happen. If an accident results from this type of situation, it could be the result of negligence on the part of the company or individuals who loaded the truck; it could also happen if tie-downs snap due to excessive wear or have manufacturing defects resulting in premature failure. Professionals experienced in determining accident causation (or other expert witnesses specializing in accident reconstruction) can help determine the exact reasons these types of truck accidents take place. That’s important because establishing blame is crucial to personal injury cases – even in a so-called “no-fault” state like Michigan.

Poor Truck Maintenance – Trucks are huge vehicles that can weigh up to 20 times as much as a typical passenger car. They have numerous tires, hence the popular nickname “18-wheelers,” and sometimes tires are prone to becoming delaminated – leaving large chunks of material that unsuspecting motorists can later crash into. Similarly, trucks are notoriously hard on their brakes, which require constant monitoring and replacement when they become worn beyond their safety ratings. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) requires at least an annual brake inspection among other regular maintenance requirements for all registered buses. Trucks and other commercial vehicles have similar Federal regulations to which owners must adhere. If required inspections and/or maintenance are put off or neglected, accidents can and do happen. People seriously injured in such incidents have the right to sue the guilty parties.

Mechanical Defects and Safety Recalls – Like every other vehicle on the road, trucks are subject to safety issues caused by defective parts, manufacturing errors, design flaws, or other issues. As it does for passenger cars, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations maintains a special database of truck-related recalls via a system called SaferTruck. Truck drivers (and trucking company employees) can check for any open safety recalls on their tractor-trailers simply by entering their Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) into a search window. (You can also check your own VIN for open recalls through this system!)

Solutions for some of these issues are in the works, but there’s one sure way to know you’re protected

Electronic tracking devices, a.k.a. “Trackers on Truckers” are being proposed as one possible tool to help prevent truck accidents because they could be used to identify and locate “high risk” drivers who are especially prone to negative behaviors like speeding or ignoring mandatory driving time limits required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

To help government officials find and respond to potential truck safety issues, truckers can also report any problems they discover to the NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-437-4236. Beyond that, eventually all the road work taking place throughout Michigan will hopefully result in fewer truck-related accidents as those projects are completed and all drivers adjust to new traffic patterns.

In addition, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Association (CVSA) conducts Operation Safe Driver annually to encourage truckers and law enforcement officials to work together to make the roads safer for all drivers in the United States and Canada. And this effort seems to be having some success. In 2023, for example, it resulted in more than 18,000 commercial vehicle inspections, and among the trucks examined nearly 13 percent were taken off the highway due to “brake-related violations!”

Sadly, there is one fly in the ointment. A recent ruling by the U.S. Department of Transportation will allow truckers to eliminate a requirement that big rigs be equipped with speed governors. That decision could lead to more accidents as truckers take advantage of the opportunity to travel faster than previously permitted on U.S. interstate highways. Only time will tell if that turns out to be the case, but know that the truck accident attorneys at Mike Morse Law Firm will be closely monitoring this situation as it unfolds and stand ready to protect the interests of Michigan drivers who might be impacted by this decision.

To sum it all up, by fixing road issues, tracking irresponsible truck drivers, forcing trucking companies to appropriately maintain their big-rigs, and encouraging more engagement between truckers and police officers, we might be fortunate enough to see a decline in truck-related accidents in the coming months and years. But if all those efforts fall short, and you or someone you care about are injured in a truck-related accident through no fault of your own, you can depend upon the dedicated truck accident legal team at Mike Morse Law Firm to have your back. Call 855-MIKE-WINS (855-645-3946) or visit us online to get Michigan’s largest personal injury law firm on your side. Remember – our client-friendly contingency fee arrangement means you’ll never pay a cent for our representation, and any money our firm receives comes only from court-approved settlement funds. That levels the playing field for all Michigan residents – regardless of their income or other financial means. So, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by calling us right away!