The Laredo - San Antonio I-35 Corridor

Interstate highway I-35 runs north and south through the entire state of Texas, from the very southern tip of the state in Laredo, all the way up through the Austin and San Antonio area, and then north to Dallas and beyond. In fact, I-35 reaches through the entire middle of the United States and as far north as Canada. Over 200,000 automobiles grace the Laredo–San Antonio I-35 ‘corridor’ each and every day.

Almost half of all of this traffic, an overwhelming 48%, consists of commercial trucks and 18 wheelers pulling tractor trailers. These numbers are only expected to go up; by 2050, it is projected that an additional 110,000 cars will frequent this section of interstate highway every single day. Because of its geographic benefits and ease of travel north through the state of Texas, I-35 is the choice trade route out of Mexico and up into the United States.

As such, Texan drivers are at an ever increased risk of involvement in an auto accident on this stretch of road, as well as an increased probability that an involved driver is here from out of country and out of state, traveling the road as a matter of commerce and shipment to and from Mexico. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident in this San Antonio-to-Laredo area, you may need a San Antonio eighteen-wheeler accident attorney on your side to help fight for the compensation you deserve. If so, call the lawyers at Carabin Shaw today. We can help.

More than thirty years ago in the 1980’s, the government created a new agency called the Federal Highway Administration in order to take action against the sheer number of deadly semi truck accidents/18 wheeler accidents. One of its main functions was to regulate the licensing of drivers and legitimize the process by which these drivers achieve necessary credentials. Since 1992, the American government in association with the FHA has implemented stricter regulations on the attainment of a Commercial Driver’s License, or CDL.

A CDL is required to operate:

• Vehicles with a total combined weight of 26,001 lbs (or larger).
• Any motor vehicle, no matter the dimensions, which is designed with the desired functionality of transporting parties of 16 or more passengers, as well as any vehicle required by federal to be placarded while moving hazardous materials.

For a few specific large big rigs, special ‘endorsements’ must be in place in order to be considered ready for the road as well.

Some of the most common causes of trucking accidents include:

• Speeding
• Running off the road
• Failure to yield the right of way
• Aggressive driving behavior
• Driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol
• Dangerous or reckless driving
• Mechanical failure
• Lack of training
• Overloaded trucks
• Oversized trucks
• Brake failure/defect
• Poor driving conditions
• Driver inexperience
• Fatigue

At Carabin Shaw, our lawyers understand the unique legal and practical problems associated with 18 wheeler accidents and other commercial truck collisions and road mishaps on the Laredo–San Antonio I-35 corridor. We have over 20 years of experience dealing with all aspects of issues that arise in these cases. Our goals for each individual claim and victim include not only protecting the individual where litigation is necessary, but also providing resources to help educate the public when injuries are caused by the negligence and/or carelessness of trucking companies in an effort to increase road safety as much as possible.

Contact a Carabin Shaw attorney today for more information about where to go from here. Our legal team is prepared to offer new clients free initial consultations as we work on a contingent fee basis. This means there is no fee for our services unless we successfully resolve every aspect of your case entirely.

If you or a loved one has suffered loss in Laredo, San Antonio, or anywhere else in Texas related to the potential dangers of the Laredo–San Antonio I-35 corridor, contact the lawyers at Carabin Shaw day or night by phone, either toll free at 800-862-1260, to our San Antonio office at 210-222-2288, or in Laredo at 956.333.3333. The call is free. The consultation is free. Our expert attorneys are here for you.