Auto Accidents Involving GardaWorld Armored Trucks

Auto Accidents Involving GardaWorld Armored Trucks

Armored truck company has long record of fatal accidents, safety violations

Everyone has seen the armored trucks that routinely transport money from high cash flow businesses such as fast food locations, supermarkets, and entertainment centers. Given the tremendous amounts of cash transported by armored trucks, you might think the various armored truck companies would invest heavily in routine maintenance to keep their vehicles in top operating condition. However, a recent investigative report by the Tampa Bay Times reveals that one of the country’s largest armored car operators, GardaWorld, has a record of fatal accidents that have been linked to poor vehicle maintenance and overworked drivers.

In today’s post, the Houston truck accident lawyer at The Doan Law Firm reviews the shocking findings of the Times’ report. He will then revue the legal avenues that are open to those who have been injured accidents caused by poorly-maintained GardaWorld armored trucks and their drivers.

The Story

On March 1st of this year the Tampa Bay Times published an investigative report headlined as Moving Millions, Leaving Mayhem. That report documented that accidents involving armored trucks operated by a division of GardaWorld, GardaWorld Cash Services, have killed at least 19 people and seriously injured dozens, if not hundreds, of others. The Times findings are, to put it mildly, shocking:

• Since 2008, 19 people have been killed in accidents involving a GardaWorld armored truck. In these accidents, 12 were later found to have been caused by either a mechanical defect in the truck (usually involving the truck’s brakes or steering) or driver error due to violations of federal law regarding on-duty/rest period regulations.

• Employees and former employees had made sworn statements in civil lawsuits describing how their supervisors pressured them to dispatch trucks with known mechanical problems that posed serious risks to both drivers and to the driving public. Furthermore, mid- and upper-level managers at GardaWorld were aware of these safety issues yet allowed them to go uncorrected.

• GardaWorld Cash Services drivers were routinely required to violate federal on-duty/off-duty/rest period regulations in order to keep their jobs. In many cases, drivers were given difficult routes that caused drivers to violate local traffic laws by speeding and running traffic lights.

• Drivers with poor driving records were routinely hired and given little, if any, training. The company also retained drivers who had been involved in minor and non-fatal traffic accidents while operating company trucks.

• Upper levels of management were routinely made aware of these, and other, safety issues yet deliberately chose not to address or correct these problems.

Liability in commercial vehicle accidents

Although the Tampa Bay Times article focused on one large company whose terrible safety record can be traced back to the highest levels of company management, the problems at GardaWorld Cash Services are not unique. Similar safety issues are commonly found at other commercial trucking companies and are frequently found to have been the cause of fatal and non-fatal accidents.

Under our legal system an employer is responsible for the actions of its employees, even if the employee behaves in reckless manner. Additionally, trucking companies are required by federal and state law to maintain their vehicles condition in a safe operating condition. If a commercial trucking company of any size fails to properly supervise the driving habits of its drivers or allows a vehicle with known safety issues to operate on streets and highways, the company and its driver can be held liable if an accident occurs.

Contacting an armored truck accident lawyer

Since there are many legal issues that could arise following an accident involving a GardaWorld Cash Services armored truck, on any other commercial vehicle, you will need the services of an experienced commercial truck accident victim’s lawyer who has a record of success in commercial truck accident lawsuits.

If you, or a family member, were injured in a commercial truck accident, we encourage you to contact the commercial truck accident victim’s lawyer at The Doan Law Firm, a personal injury law firm with offices located throughout the country, to arrange a free review of the facts in your commercial truck accident case and a review of the legal options that may be available to you.

When you contact our firm to arrange a review of the facts in your commercial truck accident case, your case review and first consultation with our commercial truck accident lawyer is always free of any charges and does not obligate you to hire our firm to represent you in court. Should you decide that a lawsuit is in order, and that you would like for us to act as your legal counsel, we are always willing to assume full responsibility for all aspects of preparing your case for trial in exchange for a percentage of the final settlement that we are prepared to win for you.