Austin Speeding Truck Accident Lawyers

Speeding can cause devastating truck accidents. Commercial trucks and their cargo often weigh tens of thousands of pounds, and they have the potential to cause far more damage than the average passenger vehicle collision. When speeding is a factor, victims can suffer catastrophic injuries.

Truck drivers work on strict deadlines and sometimes exceed the speed limit in order to make their deliveries on time. Unfortunately, trucking companies often pressure their drivers to make faster deliveries, causing them to speed and engage in other reckless driving behaviors such as unsafe lane changes and tailgating. While some truckers may reach their destination more quickly, others cause devastating speeding truck accidents.

If you were injured in a truck accident caused by speeding in the Austin area, you might be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, vehicle damage, and pain and suffering related to the accident. The experienced Austin truck accident attorneys with Loewy Law Firm are ready to help you demand the compensation you deserve. We can investigate all aspects of the accident, determine liability, and aggressively pursue a settlement on your behalf. Contact our Austin personal injury lawyers to find out more in a free consultation.

Dangers of Speeding

Due to their enormous size, weight, and high center of gravity, commercial trucks are even more susceptible to crashes caused by speeding than passenger vehicles. Some of the common dangers of speeding include:

  • Commercial trucks require longer to come to a stop. If a truck driver is speeding and encounters a road hazard, they are much less likely to have sufficient time to react and prevent a collision. A fully-loaded trailer has a high center of gravity, which encourages tipping and swerving and makes it even more difficult for speeding trucks to stop quickly.
  • Speeding truck drivers are more likely to lose control of their trucks, particularly when they travel around curves. Speeding along curves makes a truck more susceptible to rollover accidents. Even minor curves in the road can throw off a truck’s balance and cause a collision. A truck driver who slams the brakes on a curve is also more likely to cause an accident. The same is true for exit and entrance ramps, which often have sharp curves.


Truck drivers put other motorists in danger when they speed in adverse conditions. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Large Truck Crash Causation Study, 23% of large truck crashes are caused by driving too fast for conditions. Speeding is especially dangerous when trucks encounter adverse conditions, such as:

  • Inclement weather
  • Wet or icy roads
  • Low visibility or low light conditions
  • Road construction
  • Road hazards
  • Heavy traffic

Truck drivers must slow down when they encounter these types of conditions. When they don’t, they can cause truck accidents.

Truck drivers who speed often engage in other reckless driving practices that increase the likelihood of a collision, such as:

  • Distracted driving
  • Drunk or drugged driving
  • Aggressive driving
  • Tailgating
  • Improper lane changes

If a truck driver behaved recklessly or negligently, they could be held legally responsible for any injuries they cause.

Responsibility of Truck Drivers

Truck drivers must abide by applicable speed limits and follow all FMCSA regulations. Speed limits for trucks vary by highway, so truck drivers must adjust their speed according to the posted speed limit for whatever road they’re on.

Truck drivers must also slow their speed in adverse conditions. Even if the posted speed limit is 70 mph, truck drivers must compensate for adverse conditions such as rain or ice by slowing down. Truck drivers can be held responsible for accidents they cause by speeding.

Responsibility of the Trucking Company

Trucking companies also have responsibilities. Trucking companies must keep other motorists safe by performing proper background checks on their drivers to determine whether they have any prior speeding or safety violations. They must also provide their drivers with adequate training and properly supervise their drivers to ensure compliance with FMCSA regulations.

Trucking companies should never pressure their drivers to exceed the speed limit or drive recklessly in order to make more deliveries and increase profits. If a trucking company is found to have negligently encouraged their driver’s speeding, they could be held at least partially responsible for truck accidents they cause.

Common Injuries Caused by Truck Accidents

High-speed collisions involving trucks can cause terrible vehicle damage and catastrophic injuries to motorists and their passengers, including:

  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Dismemberment
  • Spinal damage
  • Paralysis
  • Whiplash
  • Broken and fractured bones
  • Internal injuries including punctured lungs and ruptured organs
  • Internal bleeding
  • Burns
  • Cuts, scrapes, and lacerations
  • Soft-tissue damage

Compensation for Speeding-Related Truck Accidents

If you were injured in a truck accident caused by speeding, you could be entitled to compensation from the driver, the trucking company, and their insurers to cover the cost of the accident’s damages, including:

Economic Damages:

  • Medical expenses related to the accident
  • Lost wages if your injuries rendered you unable to work
  • Damage to your vehicle and other property

Non-economic Damages:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional trauma
  • Mental anguish
  • Loss of enjoyment of life

In rare cases, punitive damages may also be awarded. These damages are designed to “punish” excessively reckless or negligent behavior.

Investigating a truck accident can be challenging because there will inevitably be many factors to consider, and there could be multiple at-fault parties. At Loewy Law Firm, our skilled Austin truck accident attorneys can conduct a comprehensive investigation of the accident, identify the liable party or parties, and initiate a claim that holds them accountable for their negligence.

Contact an Austin Truck Accident Lawyer Today

If you sustained injuries or vehicle damage in an accident caused by a speeding driver, contact one of our dedicated Austin truck accident lawyers at Loewy Law Firm in Austin today. We have the knowledge and resources to help you seek the compensation you need to recover from your injuries and get your life back on track. Contact us today for a free initial consultation.