![]() Plus, keep in mind that after an accident, your actions will be scrutinized just as closely as the garbage truck driver’s actions. The city sanitation department? A private company? A sole proprietor or independent contractor? You’ll also need to know who drives and owns the truck. If the truck wasn’t being actively used for trash collection, it might not be covered by the same protections it would have during active sanitation work. There are different rules that apply, depending on the truck’s status at the time of the accident. ![]() Were they actively removing trash? Were they on their way to or from collecting garbage? Now, you’ll need to find out whether the sanitation worker was actually engaged in the course of doing their job when the accident happened. If you’re in a collision with a garbage truck, their special status suddenly means your accident gets a whole lot more complicated. Most people don’t pay too much attention to garbage trucks until the day one hits them. Why Garbage Trucks’ Special Status Matters to You They don’t even have to stick to their side of the street! They can encroach on the opposite lane of travel and often make unpredictable movements as they deal with debris. Garbage trucks are also permitted to stop along the curb and right in the roadway. They can sit for long periods in parking spaces, operate in loading and unloading zones, and dominate other areas that are usually partially to totally restricted from vehicle traffic. ![]() They get special status and don’t have to abide by the same traffic laws you and I do!įor example, they’re allowed to move, stop, and park within most bicycle lanes. Someone will be here to help you.Here in California, garbage trucks have their own rules on the road. Your first consultation is free! Call 55 at any time 24/7. Located in California’s Central Valley, we can focus on your case while you focus on recovery. We have an experienced team of attorneys who know what your rights are and want to fight to get you the compensation you deserve. If you believe you’ve been injured by a waste vehicle and aren’t sure about what your rights are, call Maison Law Firm. Has it been well maintained? Is there a safety feature that isn’t working? These questions, along with juggling the possibility of dealing with multiple insurance companies, can make these cases overwhelming. Complexity of Waste Vehicle Casesĭue to the specific nature of a garbage or recycling truck, there are often experts called in to evaluate the condition of the waste vehicle. If maneuvering around the garbage or recycling truck is unsafe, you must stop and wait until it is safe to proceed. Instead, the requirement would be to make a legal lane change while the waste vehicle is stopped and flashing amber lights. To protect more people, California has introduced into legislation a bill that would prevent people from passing to the left in unsafe conditions. The risk isn’t only for the public, but includes the safety of the sanitation workers themselves. They have poor visibility, blind spots and no rear-view mirrors. These cumbersome and erratic trucks travel mostly down residential streets, where there is a higher percentage of people on foot. The risk to motorcycle drivers, bicycle riders and pedestrians is high. As necessary as they are, their design makes them dangerous. Without them, the streets would be overrun with rodents and bugs. The truck itself has jerky movements and unpredictable direction changes. We’re driving down the road when we close the distance to and end up behind waste vehicles.
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