Looking for an Ohio truck accident lawyer? Michael Leizerman has been named an Ohio Super Lawyer multiple times.
I have handled cases across the country. I am licensed in several states, and have local counsel in many states who I trust and work with closely. Select your state to learn more:
Truck and Train Accidents
Truck accident attorney Michael Leizerman describes the federal motor carrier safety regulations that apply to truck and train accidents, and explains the shared safety responsibilities of train and truck companies.
I've represented many railroad crewmembers who hit a truck when it caught up on the tracks in front of them. Just imagine operating a locomotive at 60 miles per hour and seeing a gasoline tanker truck pull in front of you. Most people don't realize that it can take a train up to a mile to stop. The engineer or conductor can only apply the emergency brakes and then wait. Sometimes the railroad bears some responsibility for maintaining tracks at an impermissible grade"”a slope that's illegal because it's too steep and can cause trucks, especially with low trailers, to get caught up. But the truck driver and the truck company usually have the bulk of the responsibility. A commercial truck must be driven at a slow enough speed that it can stop before crossing the railroad track and the driver must use caution to make sure the course is clear under 49 Code of Federal Regulations section 392.11. Many buses and trucks, like those carrying hazardous materials, are required to stop between 15 to 50 feet from the track, look and listen in each direction and make certain that a train is not approaching. Only then may the driver cross the track. When doing so, they may not shift gears. This is according to 49 CFR section 392.10.
