However, your Marietta truck attorney may be interested in the truck driver's previous record. A recent study conducted by the American Transportation Research Institute found a strong correlation between a truck driver's past driving violation convictions and the likelihood that the driver will be involved in a future accident.*
The study's authors considered information from 587,772 U.S. truck drivers and found that:
- Prior convictions for failure to use a signal or improper signaling raised a driver's likelihood of being in a future crash by 96%.
- The following prior convictions raised a driver's likelihood of being in a future crash by 64-88%:
- A past crash
- Improper passing violation
- Improper turn conviction
- Improper or erratic lane change conviction
- Improper lane or location conviction
- Failure to obey a traffic sign conviction
- Speeding more than 15 miles over speed limit conviction
- Reckless, careless or negligent driving conviction
- Any other driving related conviction
The study suggests that employers and enforcement agencies should use this information to address the problem. For example, perhaps more training or stiffer penalties would decrease the likelihood of a subsequent crash.
If you have been injured in a Marietta tractor trailer crash, please call a Marietta truck lawyer today at 1.770.518.1133 and ask whether the truck driver who hurt you had any prior convictions and what you can do to secure your potential recovery.
*Source: American Transportation Research Institute: Predicting Truck Crash Involvement: A 2011 Update