Fire Truck Accidents, Lawsuits and Lawyers in Mississippi

Mississippi Workplace Injury Attorney Talks about Fire Truck Accidents

In September, one firefighter died, and two others were seriously injured when a fire truck rolled over while the driver was responding to an emergency call. The accident occurred along a sharp curve in the road that area residents recognize as a dangerous location. Multiple accidents have occurred along that stretch of road in recent years.

Firefighters must be specially trained to drive fire apparatus on public roads, and their training includes “refresher” courses and tests at regular intervals. Driving instruction for firefighters includes navigating curved roadways with fire trucks. When firefighters are driving a fire truck to an emergency call, they are permitted to drive faster than the speed limit if they believe that they can do so safely.

This tragic fire truck crash is a reminder that fire truck accidents are a real threat to the firefighters. These accidents are so numerous that motor vehicle wrecks are the second most common cause of death for on-duty firefighters. It is estimated that around thirty thousand fire truck accidents occur in America each year.

There are many sizes and shapes of fire apparatus which firefighters drive to various types of fire emergencies. Since driving and riding in fire apparatus is a common on the job activity for firefighters, it is not surprising that many on the job injuries and deaths are associated with fire truck accidents. As is the case with any other motor vehicle, there is the risk of an accident every time a fire truck drives on any road. Fortunately, despite the frequency with which fire truck accidents happen, ninety percent of all fire truck occupants who are involved in fire truck accidents are likely to escape from the crash without any injuries.

Also, as is the case with many automobile accident injuries and deaths, some injuries, and fatalities that result from fire truck accidents could be prevented. The United States Fire Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have collected data from fire truck accidents, and the data show that firefighters often travel in fire trucks without buckling their seatbelts. When a vehicle occupant who is riding in any vehicle does not wear a safety belt, there is a greater chance that they will be ejected from the vehicle, and firefighters riding in fire trucks are no exception. More than half of the time, firefighters who do not wear their seatbelts when they are riding in a fire truck are ejected from the vehicle if it crashes, which significantly increases the risk that they will be hurt or killed in the wreck.

Giddens Law Firm, P.A.: Representing Injured Mississippi Workers

Being a firefighter is a physically demanding job, and a fire truck accident could keep you on the sidelines for quite some time as you recover from your injuries. Recovering from an injury can be tough, and the economic consequences of missing work combined with the medical expenses associated with an injury can place an injured worker in a tough position. The experienced Workplace Injury Attorneys at the Giddens Law Firm, P.A. may be able to help you to pursue a claim for damages in your workplace injury case. To learn more, please call our office today, at (601) 355-2022.