After A Spike In Accidents, Tampa Hopes New Camera Program Will Curb Dump Truck Crashes
A recent article by The Tampa Bay Times shed light on a growing problem of dump truck accidents in the city and efforts to fix it. According to the article, accidents involving city dump trucks rose 41.5 percent from 53 in 2014 to 75 in 2015. Since October 2015, there have been an additional 27 accidents.
In Clearwater, the total accidents between dump trucks and private property rose from 34 to 58 in the last three years. In St. Petersburg, that number rose from 70 to 95 over the same period, an increase of 37.5 percent. St. Petersburg saw its payouts for accidents with dump trucks climb from $33,715 to $92,257.
Camera program created to reduce accidents and train drivers
The article noted that while not all dump truck accidents are the fault of the city’s sanitation workers, some municipalities are taking steps to reduce accidents by installing two-way cameras in its vehicles. St. Petersburg alone will install 144 cameras in its dump trucks.
The paper interviewed Mike Dove, the city’s neighborhood affairs director, who highlighted some of the goals of the program. In addition to protecting city drivers against claims by negligent civilians behind the wheel, the program will reward skilled drivers and give more training to those who need it.
The St. Petersburg program will equip nearly all of its dump trucks with the cameras. Tampa Bay has already equipped about one-third of its fleet with similar devices. Clearwater has a few of its vehicles equipped and those with the cameras have not been in any accidents since installation (at the time of the article).
Tampa Bay garbage truck accident lawsuits
As a law firm committed to aiding auto accident and personal injury victims, The Pendas Law Firm applauds the efforts by the Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater governments to help make our neighborhoods safer and hold wrongdoers accountable. Modern technology is comprised of more than just cells phones and the internet; it can enrich our lives by promoting safety and reinforcing the commitment to public good our hardworking civil servants strive for.
However, the camera program will unlikely be able to prevent all accidents between city dump trucks and private citizens. When the accidents happen due to the negligence or otherwise careless behavior of the dump truck operator, victims may need the help of a skilled and dedicated Tampa Bay dump truck lawyer to help them get the compensation they need.
Tampa Bay auto accident lawyers
The Tampa Bay auto accident lawyers of The Pendas Law Firm have years of experience helping those hurt by the negligence of another driver. When the perpetrator is a city employee or other municipal entity, the claims process can take on a completely different facet than traditional auto accident lawsuits.
If you were hurt by a city dump truck, municipal vehicle, or injured in any type of auto accident, contact our lawyers for a consultation about your case. Our prestigious and aggressive lawyers represent clients in Orlando, Tampa, Ft. Myers, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
