Trucks tend to pose one of the biggest safety threats to other motorists on the road due to their sheer size and weight. In the event of a small error on the truck driver’s part, then the damages and injuries inflicted on other smaller vehicles and their occupants can be devastating.
What Are the Common Causes of Truck Accidents?
Truck accidents usually happen due to a variety of reasons, for example, weather conditions, human error, mechanical problems, and a number of combinations of these factors. In most cases, the truck driver or their companies are usually the parties at fault for the accident. There are numerous human errors that often lead to truck accidents:
– Speeding –This is perhaps the most common cause of truck accidents. Since trucks often travel at high speeds, it is difficult for them to make safe stops and the situation is worsened by weather conditions. What usually happens is that, since most trucks are very heavy, it will be very difficult for them to stop effectively when an urgent need arises, thus they end up rear-ending the vehicles in front of them.
– Tailgating–A truck that is fully loaded requires a lot of extra space between it and the vehicle ahead of it so as to come to a complete stop. Tailgating is whereby you travel very close to the car that’s right in front of you. This act significantly raises the risks of serious and tragic accidents.
-Distracted Driving–Distracted driving is currently a major cause of accidents. Distraction is anything that takes away the mind, hands, and focus of the driver from driving. This can include eating, looking for an item in the truck cab, grooming, engaging with other passengers, and any other activity that is life-threatening.
– Fatigue–Driving for many hours as the truck drivers do requires stamina and energy. Therefore, if the driver isn’t getting sufficient rest between the shifts, then they will definitely get fatigued which poses great safety risks.
– Aggressive Driving–Aggressive driving has become a major concern on the roads. Issues such as health problems, personal issues, financial demands, and bad moods can result in all types of chaos on the roads.
– Inexperience– If a driver hasn’t been at the job long enough, then they might not effective reaction times and the calm confidence to react in a safe manner in any situation and lead to devastating accidents. Therefore, it is a requirement for all drivers to undergo extensive training and complete a specified maximum amount of hours driving trucks before they qualify to drive professionally.
Since trucks have the ability to inflict major damage on the roads, the federal and state government have put in place regulations to govern their practices. There are normally a lot of financial incentives by going against these crucial regulations, however, this has deadly consequences. When you fail to abide by the regulations that are meant to safeguard the safety of the public, you can cause accidents and this is what is referred to as negligence.
Instances of driver negligence are such as driving while under the influence of drugs, whether legal or illegal. Also, if truck drivers aren’t getting a sufficient amount of rest that they need between shifts, then they become susceptible to fatigue. Even though there are federal laws that regulate the number of hours that a driver is allowed to drive, these regulations are not always adhered to.
Also, there are medications that can compromise the ability of the driver to drive safely. Prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs can come with numerous side effects that make operating heavy machinery potentially very risky. These side effects can include drowsiness and other reactions to drugs that can lead to a potential accident.
Driver fatigue is still among the major causes of truck accidents. Guidelines have been established for the number of hours that a truck driver should be on the road and how many they should rest in between the shifts, however, these guidelines aren’t always adhered to. Often, the management pressures the drivers to log additional hours ignoring the guidelines and this leads to deadly accidents.
Fatigue usually has similar effects like the effects of alcohol and other types of drugs. Even though the drivers may try their best to remain awake, they may experience blurred vision and lose their perception of angles and distance. There is always a high possibility of them eventually falling asleep on the wheel.
Another major cause of truck accidents is reckless driving. A few instances of reckless driving include distracted driving, speeding and tailgating. All these examples entail driver negligence. Overly-aggressive drivers can also lead to serious accidents and these can have grave implications for smaller cars and their occupants.
A single commercial truck that is fully loaded can weigh in excess of 80,000 pounds. In case the trucks are carrying additional cumbersome loads or the loads are not well balanced, this will drastically alter the dynamics of the truck in motion. This usually leads to accidents.
Same as with other drivers, truck drivers can be found guilty of similar types of dangerous and reckless activities. The only difference is that the consequences of their negligent behavior are more far-reaching and devastating. This is caused by the size of the vehicles they are operating and what they are carrying.
In case you or a loved one has been recently involved in an auto accident, injured or even lost their lives, it is crucial to ensure that you retain the services of an experienced personal injury attorney. They will review the details of your case and determine the best course of action for you to get the compensation that is owed to you.
Call 855-396-3926 to get help with your truck accident case and talk to a qualified professional.
