What are Common Causes of Truck Accidents

TRUCK ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY COMMERCIAL TRUCK DRIVERS

There is specific training a person must complete before becoming certified as a commercial truck driver. Even after becoming licensed, commercial truck drivers must still take extraordinary caution when operating these large vehicles because even after training, accidents can still occur from common causes of truck accidents.

COMMON CAUSES OF TRUCK ACCIDENTS FROM COMMERCIAL DRIVERS INCLUDE:

Truck Driver Tiredness and Fatigue – Federal regulations limits the amount of time a commercial truck driver can log driving per week. To prevent the dangers of driver fatigue, the law states that commercial vehicle operators are only to drive for 11 hours max after 10 consecutive hours off duty.

Poor or Improper Truck Maintenance – All vehicle maintenance checks must be documented. It is the responsibility of the trucking company to ensure proper maintenance and upkeep of their vehicles. These companies can be liable for a trucking accident if poor vehicle maintenance or faulty equipment are the cause of the accident

Distracted Driving – The nature of truck drivers’ jobs make it easy to become distracted while traveling. The long hours on the road, often in remote or repetitive scenic areas can lead to an urge to multitask. Driver must keep their full attention on the road and operating the vehicle at all times to avoid catastrophic injuries and accidents.

Texting Truck Drivers – In many states, texting while driving is against the law, and it is banned nationwide for drivers of commercial trucks. Unfortunately, this law does not deter all drivers from engaging in this dangerous behavior.

Speeding Truck Drivers – Those who exceed the speed limit put others on the road at risk because they are not driving with the flow of traffic. This is a high cause for concern with truckers especially since the vehicle they’re driving weighs nearly 20 times more than the average passenger vehicle. Commercial truck drivers often speed because they are on strict timelines.

Unsafe Driving Practices – Truck drivers log thousands of miles every week. Long stretches of time on the road can become monotonous and may cause some drivers to become less safe with how they operate their vehicles. In addition to speeding, unsafe driving practices include:

• Following another vehicle too closely
• Road rage
• Failure to check for blind spots
• Frequent lane changes
• Failure to use turn signals

OTHER COMMON CAUSES OF TRUCK ACCIDENTS

Inadequate or improper training – If a driver has not had the proper training in how to handle a commercial truck, defensive driving and other safety elements, then the driver will pose a hazard on the road.

Unfamiliarity with roads or inexperience driving – Any person traveling an unknown road can face driving challenges. Now imagine if that person was driving an 80,000-pound vehicle for the first time and didn’t realize how narrow, curvy or rough a certain road was. The combination of circumstances can be disastrous.

Overloading – There are regulations that determine how much weight a commercial truck can carry because overloading can lead to error and accidents such as tire blowouts or jackknife accidents.

Road Construction – Road construction projects can cause delays in traffic. These literal roadblocks often limit drivers to one lane of traffic. Some drivers may try to maneuver around the construction by driving on the shoulder or in the median, but doing so can easily cause an accident to occur.

Weather and Road Conditions – Not all highways or roadways are ideal for driving, especially for large trucks. Unpaved or pothole-ridden roads can make it extra difficult for drivers. Narrow lanes or highways without shoulders can become hazardous. Adding poor weather conditions, such as sleet or snow, can further put all drivers at risk.

HIRE A TRUCKING ATTORNEY WITH EXPERIENCE

If you’ve been involved in a truck accident, you want to have a lawyer who has experience with these specific type of cases. Trucking crashes, especially those as a result of the common causes of truck accidents, are handled much differently than accidents that involve only passenger vehicles.

In addition to the truck driver, the trucking company is often also involved. Our attorneys have the legal skills and expertise necessary to fully investigate trucking accidents and determine what a fair compensation is for victims of trucking accidents.

Please, call our Pennsylvania tractor trailer lawyers if you’re the victim of one of the common causes of truck accidents toll free at 1-800-444-5309 for a free consultation. We have offices in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Scranton and will travel to you.