Bobtail Truck Accidents in South Bend | Bobtail Truck Injury Lawyer
A bobtail truck is a truck without a trailer connected. Bobtail trucks are frequently used for the transport of liquid propane gas (LPG) and other types of liquid fuel. Driving a truck bobtail is different from pulling a trailer and it will make a difference in the handling. Driving a bobtail truck can be more challenging at times due to a lot of weight distribution in a relatively short wheelbase. A professional truck driver must learn how to operate a bobtail truck safely without a trailer.
When You Need to Hire a South Bend Bobtail Truck Accident Lawyer
In many cases, South Bend 18-wheeler accident attorneys must retain the services of scientific and medical experts to prove both the cause of the accident and the cause of your injuries. Additionally, a qualified semi truck accident lawyer will obtain all kinds of evidence concerning the scene of the crash, truck logs, and other important information to be used against the trucker, trucking company, or the company’s insurer. Arranging expert witness testimony and preparing important physical and documentary evidence is just one of many ways a South Bend bobtail truck accident injury lawyer can help you after you’ve suffered a truck accident injury from a major 18-wheeler truck wreck.
If you or a loved one have been involved in a serious bobtail truck wreck, semi crash or big rig accident, hiring a lawyer is the farthest thing from your mind when tragedy such as this strikes you, a family member, or a friend. However, this is when you need a South Bend truck accident lawyer most. Do yourself a favor by calling one of the qualified South Bend truck accident lawyers listed on this page. Hire a qualified South Bend tractor trailer accident lawyer to help protect your rights.
Hazardous Road Conditions for Bobtail Trucks in South Bend
A trucker driving a bobtail truck must be extra cautious when driving in hazardous road conditions in South Bend such as the I-80, I-90, US-20, SH-2 and SH-23. The trucker already has to be skilled just to handle a bobtail truck because he or she has to deal with a heavy load without a trailer. The danger already exists for making a sudden stop and losing control. Add hazardous road conditions on top of that and you have a recipe for disaster. A bobtail truck driver must be acutely aware of passenger cars darting in front of the truck. It may come down to a terrible choice of either rear-ending the car or spinning out by hitting the brakes too hard.
Bobtail Truck Accidents Caused by Hazardous Road Conditions in South Bend
According to the 2009 U.S. Census, South Bend has a population of 101,168 people in a 39.1 square mile area. South Bend also is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana. A lot of roadwork is necessary to maintain South Bend’s sprawling road and highway infrastructure, but these important repairs don’t always happen in time to prevent a roadway accident. Sometimes the situation is made even more dangerous due to severe weather conditions. Hazardous road conditions cause more fatalities than speeding or driving under the influence of alcohol and are one of the biggest reasons for South Bend truck accidents.
Local community health centers that will provide medical care to those with low incomes and/or no health insurance:
Memorial Neighborhood Health Center - Southeast Clinic
1708 S. High Street, South Bend, IN 46613
(574) 647-1400
Community Health Center
400 Teegarden Street, La Porte, IN 46350
(219) 326-0043
Knox Winamac Community Health Center
1002 S Edgewood Drive, Knox, IN 46534
(574) 772-0855
South Bend Motels are a Refuge When Road Conditions are Bad
Unsafe truck drivers make for unsafe roads. When driving conditions become too dangerous, truckers have a duty to pull over so that they don’t injure their fellow motorists. When road conditions are bad on South Bend highways and it is unsafe for the trucker to drive, the semi truck driver should pull off the road at a truck stop or sit it out at a motel such as the ones listed below until it is safe to drive.
Motels near South Bend, Indiana
Residence Inn South Bend
Ramada Plaza
Quality Inn-University
South Bend Marriott |
Map of Budget-priced Motels near South Bend, IN |
|
Besides truck stops, roadside motels provide truckers with a place for rest and shelter to avoid fatigue. |
South Bend Highway Management
South Bend’s freeway system is monitored by a unique cooperative partnership of four separate agencies - St. Joseph County, Indiana Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Transit Authority of St. Joseph County, and the City of South Bend. The name of this cooperative is South Bend TranStar. South Bend TranStar is responsible for providing transportation and emergency management services to the region and was the first center of its kind in the nation to combine transportation and emergency management centers, and the first to bring four agencies together to share their resources.
South Bend TranStar is a national leader in freeway incident management and incorporates state-of-the-art technologies to reduce congestion on South Bend interstates, highways and roadways. With more than 730 regional Closed Circuit Television Cameras (CCTVs), the staff at the South Bend TranStar center monitors traffic incidents and dispatches vehicles to remove hazardous materials or debris. Plus it communicates with emergency vehicles about the most direct routes to an accident scene and sends tow trucks to stalled vehicles. South Bend TranStar also uses a Dynamic Message Signs (DMS) which it deploys from the center to alert travelers to traffic issues that may lie ahead and inform them about expected travel times. South Bend TranStar also incorporates speed sensors, Highway Advisory Radio, ramp meters, synchronized traffic signals and other devices to help keep the area’s traffic running smoothly.
Some of the causes of South Bend truck accidents due to hazardous road conditions may include:
- Potholes and poorly maintained roads
-
Dangerous roads:
- Poorly designed roads
- Steep pavement drops
- Narrow lanes
- Sharp curves
- Bad weather (heavy rain, ice, snow and fog)
- Inadequate warning signs about road conditions
- Poorly marked construction zones
- Defective signals and signs
- Poor visibility of traffic signs
- Inadequate highway lighting
Bobtail Truck Accident Attorneys Serve South Bend and Surrounding Cities
Serving clients throughout Northern Indiana, including Albion, Columbia City, Elkhart, Gary, Goshen, Hobart, Kendallville, La Porte, Logansport, Lowell, Merrillville, Michigan City, Nappanee, North Judson, North Manchester, Pleasant Lake, Plymouth, Portage, South Bend, Warsaw, areas in the vicinity of Michiana Regional Transportation Center Airport, and other communities in St. Joseph County.
South Bend bobtail truck accident attorneys are experienced in handling serious injury truck collision cases and can help you fight the trucking company or its insurer in order to get you the compensation you deserve. Contact a South Bend bobtail truck accident lawyer today for a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION.