Bobtail Truck Accidents in Rapid City | 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 Rapid City Bobtail Truck Accident Lawyer
In many cases, Rapid City 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 Rapid City 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 Rapid City truck accident lawyer most. Do yourself a favor by calling one of the qualified Rapid City truck accident lawyers listed on this page. Hire a qualified Rapid City tractor trailer accident lawyer to help protect your rights.
Hazardous Road Conditions for Bobtail Trucks in Rapid City
A trucker driving a bobtail truck must be extra cautious when driving in hazardous road conditions in Rapid City such as the I-90, I-190, US-16, US-14 and US-85. 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 Rapid City
According to the 2009 U.S. Census, Rapid City has a population of 67,956 people in a 44.7 square mile area. Rapid City also is the county seat of Pennington County, South Dakota. A lot of roadwork is necessary to maintain Rapid City’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 Rapid City truck accidents.
Local community health centers that will provide medical care to those with low incomes and/or no health insurance:
Rapid City Community Health
504 E. Monroe Street, Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 394-6666
Community Health Center of Black Hills
640 Flormann Street, Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 394-5213
Rapid City 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 Rapid City 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 Rapid City, South Dakota
Motel 6 - Rapid City
Super 8 Rapid City Rushmore Rd
Comfort Inn I-90
Lazy U Motel |
Map of Budget-priced Motels near Rapid City, SD |
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Besides truck stops, roadside motels provide truckers with a place for rest and shelter to avoid fatigue. |
Rapid City Highway Management
Rapid City’s freeway system is monitored by a unique cooperative partnership of four separate agencies - Pennington County, South Dakota Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Transit Authority of Pennington County, and the City of Rapid City. The name of this cooperative is Rapid City TranStar. Rapid City 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.
Rapid City TranStar is a national leader in freeway incident management and incorporates state-of-the-art technologies to reduce congestion on Rapid City interstates, highways and roadways. With more than 730 regional Closed Circuit Television Cameras (CCTVs), the staff at the Rapid City 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. Rapid City 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. Rapid City 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 Rapid City truck accidents due to hazardous road conditions may include:
- Potholes and poorly maintained roads
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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 Rapid City and Surrounding Cities
Serving clients throughout Western South Dakota, including Ashland Heights, Belle Fourche, Blackhawk, Box Elder, Buffalo, Central City, Custer, Deadwood, Dupree, Ellsworth AFB, Fairburn, Faulkton, Gannvalley, Hermosa, Highmore, Hill City, Kadoka, Kennebec, Lead, Murdo, New Underwood, North Spearfish, Oreville, Pierre, Rapid City, Redfield, Schaeferville, Spearfish, Sturgis, Summerset, Wall, and other communities in Pennington County.
Rapid City 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 Rapid City bobtail truck accident lawyer today for a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION.