More Big Rigs Pour Onto North Dakota Roads as Oil Boom Continues

January 10, 2013 (Press-News.org) North Dakota is currently the center of one of the biggest oil booms ever seen in America. Oil companies are drilling around 200 wells or more each month, and oil production has topped 575,000 barrels a day, more than double what the state produced two years ago.

While the oil business has helped push North Dakota's economy to new heights even as fiscal growth remains stagnant in much of the country, the rapid expansion of drilling operations comes with its own challenges. The oil field boom has led to housing shortages, increased crime rates, environmental impacts -- and perhaps most significantly for accident victims, snarled traffic as thousands of large commercial trucks take to roads never designed to handle such capacity. All accidents have the potential to cause serious injury, but when these vehicles -- the biggest and heaviest permitted on our nation's highways -- are involved in a crash, the result can be devastating.

North Dakota traffic fatalities on the rise

With very few pipelines currently in place, oil must be moved from the fields of North Dakota by truck or rail. Fleets of trucks are also required to haul in drilling and construction equipment. In January of 2012 alone, 100 new trucking companies started up in North Dakota.

It has been hard for local residents to ignore the surge in traffic. It does not just mean longer wait times for commuters; some areas are facing real costs. One county with fewer than 7,000 residents has been hit with nearly $200 million in road damage at the hands of oversized and overweight truck traffic since the beginning of the oil boom. The human costs are harder to quantify.

Because of the sheer size and weight of large commercial "big rigs" or "18-wheelers" they can become unstable at highway speeds. Accidents are caused by driver inattentiveness, fatigue, driver inexperience, failure to follow safety procedures, improper backing, delayed maintenance, mechanical failures, blow outs, overloaded trailers, and failure to follow government regulations. Accidents can be very damaging and result in serious injury and/or death.

In 2010, the North Dakota Highway Patrol reported just 105 traffic fatalities. By 2011, the number had climbed to 148. Throughout 2012, 169 people lost their lives on North Dakota roads.

Ask an attorney about legal remedies for accidents involving oil companies

More traffic on streets and highways, particularly when it is heavy commercial traffic, means greater odds of traffic accidents. As North Dakota's oil boom continues, it is important for companies to ensure their drivers are adhering to safety practices that help prevent roadway accidents.

Trucking companies are responsible for the negligent actions of their drivers. If you have been harmed in a North Dakota traffic accident, or if a family member has been killed, you may be entitled to financial compensation.

An experienced personal injury attorney can tell you more about your accident claim and will help you build a case. Call an attorney today to learn about your legal options in the wake of any accident related to the North Dakota oilfields.

Article provided by Conlin Law Firm LLC
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