Louisiana Motor Carriers Could Save Money Investing In Safety

If you can’t fight them, join them seems to be the maxim followed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) when it tries to persuade trucking companies to invest more time, money and effort in safety. If the pain and suffering of those injured in devastating truck crashes isn’t reason enough, the FMCSA talks about money, a language all motor carriers understand.
The truth is that truck accidents cost motor carriers dearly. The FMCSA, on its website, highlights the huge additional volume ($5 million) that a motor carrier with a 2 percent margin (trucking companies are typically high-volume and low-margin businesses) needs to generate to compensate a loss of $100,000. In a truck accident, damages of $100,000 could be on the low side, if you consider all the direct and indirect costs that may result from a Louisiana tractor-trailer crash, such as:

• Third party liability: medical costs, therapies, disability compensation, loss of wages, material damage, wrongful death damages, emergency rescue costs, etc.
• Damage to tractor, or trailer, or both
• Damaged or lost cargo
• Towing expenses
• Administrative costs
• Commercial costs (non execution of delivery contract)
• Truck driver related costs: workers’ compensation, hiring and training of new driver, loss of personal items, etc.
• Accident investigation and reconstruction
• Legal costs and expert advice
• Higher insurance premiums and deductible
• Fines and penalties
• Negative public relations and publicity

Struggling trucking companies often try to cut corners and save money by scrapping programs and systems that are essential to the safety of their drivers, and other motorists. The above list should convince them that they are on the wrong track.
If you have been hurt in a car, truck or motorcycle accident caused by someone else, contact the New Orleans accident attorneys of the Young Firm for a FREE discussion of your case. Order now our FREE lawyer book, “A Guide To Steering Through a Serious Vehicle Accident in Louisiana.”