When people think of summer, they think about nice weather and summer
vacations. But summer is more than just the season for road trips and
campouts. Oddly enough, the warm weather months are a popular time to
move. So, in addition to the motorhomes and campers making their way
onto the roadways, motorists need to be on the lookout for the
onslaught of rental trucks. Yes, rental trucks.
Two-fold problem: Size & Inexperience
The problem with rental trucks is two-fold. First, rental trucks,
capable of carrying the contents of a suburban family home are quite
large. Sure, they are not as large as a commercial truck, but they are
much larger than your typical passenger vehicle. A minivan, for
example, is between 14 and 16 feet long, whereas a moving truck can be
anywhere from 10 to 26 feet long. Moving trucks, when full, are also
carrying a lot more weight than a passenger vehicle. Even a minivan
packed to the brim with kids and belongings for a cross-country trip
to Florida to see the “Mouse” weighs less than 5,000 pounds. Compare
that to a small 10-foot moving truck, which when full is close to
8,500 pounds, or a 26-foot moving truck which can weigh anywhere
between 20,000 to 26,000 pounds fully loaded.
The second problem with rental trucks lies with the operator. Rental
truck companies would like you to think that driving a large moving
truck is similar to driving a regular passenger vehicle. It would be
nice if that were the case, but it is not. Driving a large truck
requires much more skill than a small car. However, all it takes in
most cases to rent a moving truck is a regular driver’s license. No
special training is required or given at most rental companies. In
other words, a person who regularly drives a less than 9-foot Smart
car can hop into a 26-foot rental truck as long as he or she has a
valid driver’s license. When a driver is unfamiliar with the special
aspects of driving a large truck, accidents can happen. A person
driving a rental truck for the first time may be unaware that a moving
truck has:
decreased speed
less maneuverability
limited visibility
weight/load distributions that can make driving a large truck precarious
These two problems become scarier when you realize that an estimated
20 million moves occur each year between Memorial Day and Labor Day
and almost 75 percent of those moves are done by “do-it-yourselfers”
not experienced moving companies.
Liability: Who is responsible for a rental truck accident?
If a rental truck is at fault for an accident, you may be wondering
who is liable. The answer is, it depends. It could be the driver
because he or she was negligent in his or her operation of the rental
truck (i.e., failed to stop at a red light). It could also be the
rental truck company if the truck was not in good repair and this was
the cause of the accident (i.e., bad brakes). The fault could also
potentially lie with the moving company whose job it was to load the
truck properly.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries after being involved in an
accident involving a rental truck, it is important to contact a
skilled Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys who can protect your
rights! The experienced Injury Attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P.
can properly assess your case and fight on your behalf. For almost two
decades, our seasoned Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys have
worked hard to ensure injury victims receive full compensation. Trust
the Personal Injury Attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. to help you,
just as they have helped countless injured victims in both Kansas and
Missouri. To schedule a consultation, contact our office today at
(816) 472-4673.
