New California Case Holds Tractor-Trailer Drivers to Higher Standard
The California Court of Appeal for the First District (which includes San Francisco and neighboring areas), recently decided a case, [Lawson v. Safeway Inc., (2010) 191 Cal. App. 4th 400] holding drivers of tractor trailers to a higher standard than some other motorists.
In the Lawson case, the plaintiffs were the driver of a motorcycle and his passenger. “A large Safeway Inc. tractor-trailer was parked legally on the side of U.S. Highway 101 (101) close to an intersection near Crescent City. The position of the tractor-trailer blocked the view of oncoming traffic for a driver attempting to cross and turn onto 101. The driver’s pickup truck collided with motorcyclist Charles Lawson whose wife Connie B. Lawson was riding with him as they traveled on 101. The Lawsons filed suit for personal injuries against Safeway, the driver of the Safeway truck, the driver of the pickup, and the State of California. A jury awarded substantial damages to plaintiffs and apportioned 35 percent fault to Safeway, 35 percent to the State of California, and 30 percent to the driver of the pickup.” Lawson, at 404 [emphasis added].
The issue before the Court on Safeway’s appeal was whether the driver of the tractor-trailer owed a duty of care to those injured in the accident when he parked in an area that was not prohibited by the Vehicle Code or any other statute or ordinance. Safeway argued that they should not have been found at fault because their driver, in parking alongside the 101 fwy, had done nothing illegal.
The Court of Appeal ultimately held that, although the tractor trailer was parked legally on the side of the highway, the driver had a duty to park safely, as well as legally, in this particular case. The driver had parked a 65 foot long, 13.5 foot tall, 8.5 foot wide commercial truck and the evidence showed that: the drivers of such trucks were or should be professionally trained to be aware of the risk of blocking other drivers’ sight lines when parking. The evidence further showed that the truck was parked at a high-speed well-traveled intersection and a safe parking spot was available right around the corner. Because of these facts, the Court held it was readily foreseeable that parking a large, commercial truck near an intersection might obstruct the views of passing motorists and cause them to collide.
In affirming the lower Court’s ruling, the Court of Appeals held that the risk of harm that was sufficiently great that a jury should have been allowed to determine whether the truck driver, in parking where he did, bore some responsibility for the accident.
Thus, it appears that, according to this ruling, drivers of tractor-trailers, because of their unique training and experience, will be held to a standard that not only requires them to be parked legally, but also, that they park safely.
We, at Heiting & Irwin, specialize in tractor-trailer accidents. If you or anyone you know has been in an accident involving a tractor-trailer, please do not hesitate to contact our office at (951) 682-6400 or visit our website: www.heitingnirwin.wpengine.com
