TRANSPORTATION TORT LAW

As the new millennium approaches, state and local transportation agencies are experiencing a dramatic increase in tort litigation involving claims for personal injury and property damage. The costs associated with these claims have added greatly to the overall cost of constructing and maintaining the nation's highway transportation infrastructure, reducing the percentage of funds available for construction, reconstruction, maintenance, and measures aimed at improving highway safety. This article reviews the evolution of transportation tort law, pointing out that the primary reason for the great increase in claims against state and local transportation agencies during the last 50 years has been a weakening of the doctrine of sovereign immunity. The article also discusses the impacts of technology on the practice of transportation tort law in the 21st century.

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• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/07386826
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Page range: pp 24-26, 37.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • SMITH, J L
  • Durant, L A
  • Hill, N N
  • Lewis II, C R
• Publication Date: 1999-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: 4 p.
• Serial:
  • TR News
  • Issue Number: 205
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0738-6826

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Highway law; Litigation; Sovereign immunity; Technology; Tort liability
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Law; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00784473
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 4 2000 12:00AM