To understand how warehouse expansion in Riverside and San Bernardino increases truck traffic and crash risks, it is important to understand how quickly logistics development can alter roadway use throughout the Inland Empire.
Distribution centers have added 24-hour freight flows and more heavy trucks operating on roadways primarily used by passenger vehicles. They have added congestion and congestion-related crash risks to already busy roads and freeways.
Warehouse development has occurred both along major freeway corridors and surface streets throughout the Inland Empire over the past several years. The interaction of commercial trucks with passenger cars, pedestrians, and built infrastructure creates safety risks for drivers and communities near facilities.
Hire a Truck Accident Lawyer
Easton & Easton is committed to serving clients throughout Southern California who have been injured in truck crashes, including those on and around freight corridors and warehouses. Our legal team understands how freight traffic volumes, roadway design, and commercial practices can affect legal liability.
Our truck accident lawyers have managed complex trucking claims against multiple defendants and insurance companies. We apply a rigorous legal and factual approach when analyzing whether and how land use practices in the region could increase the risk of crashes under California law.
The Inland Empire Is a Hub for Truck Traffic
Riverside and San Bernardino counties have become logistics hubs due to the availability of land, close proximity to ports, and access to I-10, I-15, SR-60, and I-215. Large warehouses and distribution centers depend on a constant flow of trucks for shipments to flow both in and out.
The resulting freight traffic density increases the number of tractor-trailers on neighborhood roads and freeway interchanges. Trucks entering and exiting warehouse sites, mixing with commuter traffic, and traversing long distances for local and long-haul runs increase the potential for collisions where tractor-trailers operate in areas that may not have been designed for constant high-volume traffic.
Consequences for Increased Truck Volume on Roadways
More commercial trucks operating on a roadway alter its traffic dynamics on a day-to-day basis. The presence of more large trucks leads to longer braking distances, wider turns, and more space needed to maneuver. Sudden growth of freight traffic can result in roadway congestion, bottlenecks, and erratic traffic patterns.
Passenger vehicles driving in lanes with more truck traffic are exposed to more blind spots, abrupt stops, and merging movements that increase the risk of rear-end collisions, sideswipes, and multi-vehicle accidents, especially during rush hour and peak shipping times related to warehouse activity.
Severity of Collisions With Trucks
Involvement of commercial trucks in an accident makes injuries more likely to be severe. Per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 114,000 people suffered injuries in large truck crashes across the United States in 2023, and 5,472 individuals were killed in crashes with large trucks in 2023.
In areas with growing warehouse operations, more frequent interactions between trucks and passenger vehicles increase the risk of catastrophic injuries if a collision occurs.
Liability in Truck Accidents Related to Warehouses
Warehouse-related truck accidents can involve multiple parties that may have contributed to an accident. Potential responsible parties can include trucking companies, logistics or distribution companies, contractors, or any other involved parties that may have played a role with regard to scheduling or routing.
In some cases, roadway design or traffic control measures around warehouse properties may also be a contributing factor. California’s comparative negligence allows multiple parties to share fault for an accident in proportion to their respective role. Liability determinations can involve examining the details of delivery schedules, driver behavior, vehicle conditions, and how the introduction of heavy truck traffic was coordinated with nearby roadways.
FAQ
Why Are Warehouses and Accident Risks Linked?
Warehousing development has contributed to permanent spikes in truck traffic on roadways. These roads may be built for light commercial activity and struggle to cope with the addition of relentless truck traffic. Busy commutes, increased congestion, truck-car conflicts when turning, and less time to react all increase collision risk where trucks mix with commuter and local traffic.
Are Truck Accidents Near Warehouses Treated Differently Under California Law?
Truck accidents near warehouses are generally governed by the same legal principles as any other location, but crashes related to warehouses or distribution centers may involve additional liability factors.
California courts will look closely at the factors that contributed to any given crash and may find trucking companies, logistics firms, or others at fault for contributing to dangerous traffic patterns. These claims can often require extensive investigation beyond typical car crash cases.
Are Warehouse Companies at Fault for Truck Accidents?
Warehouse companies can be factored into a liability analysis where the development or specific policies make it more difficult for trucks to travel safely. This is a highly fact-driven question that turns on control, expectations, and the foreseeability of the risk posed. Warehouse firms may owe a duty of care and can be held liable for a breach of that duty if causation is established.
How Do Changes to Traffic Impact Insurance Claims?
Insurance claims can be more complicated when a truck accident involves multiple commercial businesses and/or additional layers of insurance coverage. The contractual relationships between the parties and insurance companies and the allocation of fault may be additional factors that complicate the evaluation and processing of claims. Insurance companies may want documentation related to the use and reason for the truck operating in a specific area.
Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer
Warehouse expansion throughout Riverside and San Bernardino has changed traffic patterns across the Inland Empire. Along with economic growth and more jobs, these developments have brought a spike in commercial truck traffic.
As more freight travels through our communities, collisions with commercial trucks become more frequent and severe. How development, roadway characteristics, and industry practices all interact is a key factor in evaluating these accidents.
At Easton & Easton, we represent injured victims in truck crashes and work to identify how the growth of logistics companies and traffic congestion may impact liability under California law. For those injured in a truck crash related to warehouse activity, legal clarity is often an important step. Book a consultation today to hire a truck accident lawyer you can depend on.
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