Centre County is home to nearly 200,000 people. Much like its name implies, Centre County is centrally located in Pennsylvania. In addition to being part of the State College Metropolitan area, which brings in a substantial amount of people every day, Centre County has several notable roads cutting through. Major highways and interstates such as Interstate 80, Interstate 99, U.S Route 322 and U.S Route 220 all mean that drivers will be on the road at all hours of the day and night.
Defective Parts in Trucks Lead to Accidents
Every year we see commercials on television advertising that this year’s cars have all the added safety features and have been tested to ensure that the driver and passenger are safe in the event that there is an accident. We would hope that the same sort of rigor and progress was put into developing trucks and tractor-trailers. However, every day there are accidents caused by tractor-trailers and other commercial vehicles that stem from faulty parts and improperly maintained systems.
Commercial vehicles are largely governed by Federal Motor Vehicle Saftey Standards, which were enacted and envisioned by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Within these regulations are exacting requirements and specifications for almost all components of a tractor-trailer or other vehicle. These regulations set standards for braking systems, brake fluid, stability control systems, tires, and tire rims. These regulations are so exacting that there are even sections that pertain to rear-view mirrors and headlights.
However, traffic accidents that are the result of some components of a commercial vehicle failing are rather common. However, determining who is liable for a defective is not always as clear.
Generally, there are three types of vehicle defects related to commercial vehicles:
- Design defects – similar to the television advertisements that boast the latest and greatest design and safety features for a car, there are times when the design of a commercial vehicle can lead to an accident. A commercial vehicle can be found to contain a design defect when the plans for manufacture include the use of inadequate or unsafe materials or when the design is otherwise unreasonably dangerous.
- Manufacturing Defects – a manufacturing defect is different from a design defect because it was not the design per se that caused the accident, but rather that the product as it was being made failed to conform to the specifications of the design. Often a manufacturing defect is the result of a company trying to cut costs by using inferior products.
- Lack of adequate warnings – finally a defect in a commercial vehicle can result from the vehicle not being sold with adequate warnings.
Any of these defects can lead to an accident, however, it is not always clear who is liable. Certain defects may point to one or more party such as when a braking system or steering system breaks down this may point liability towards the auto designer and manufacturer. However, when it is not clear who is responsible for the accident it will often cause the parties to argue amongst themselves.
Truck Accidents in Centre County
Accidents happen for a variety of reasons. However, not all of them are predictable. Yes, we know that commercial drivers are the cause of many accidents however, there are certain accidents that are harder to predict and highlight how dangerous and deadly driving a tractor-trailer can be.
Recently, a truck driver was driving down Route 322 between Phillipsburg and Port Matilda in Centre County when a bear ran into the road. The driver allegedly struck the bear in front of the State Police Barracks and subsequently lost control of his vehicle. The driver’s trailer flipped over and caused several explosions. Unfortunately, the driver did not live through the accident. This tragic accident points out that even the most diligent of drivers can be involved in an accident for events that are out of their control.
Another news story in Centre County highlights that when there is an accident involving any commercial vehicle that there is the potential that other vehicles will be involved. A chain-reaction crash recently happened in Centre County between Route 45 and Route 2004 when a dump truck swerved to avoid a vehicle that pulled in front of it.
Contact our Pennsylvania Truck Accident Attorneys Today
To schedule a private, no-cost evaluation, call the trucking accident attorneys of The Reiff Law Firm at (215) 709-6940 or contact us online. If the statute of limitations expires, your window of legal opportunity will close and you won’t be able to pursue a claim.
