What Causes Trucking Accidents?
Trucks make up a tiny proportion of the vehicles on the road however, they can be extremely dangerous and cause serious injuries or even death. Accidents involving large trucks can happen when drivers are distracted or fail to watch their blind spots.
Accidents involving trucks can also be caused by fatigued drivers. They often work long hours, without breaks, to meet their quotas.
Driver Error
Driver error is the most common reason behind trucking accidents and it is a very serious issue. truck injury attorneys can be caused by a number of reasons. It is crucial to know the causes of this kind of error and how to avoid it.
Inattention, carelessness, distraction and drowsiness are the top common errors that drivers make. These problems can be extremely dangerous, particularly when paired with the huge size of a truck.
Truck drivers, for instance frequently work long hours and do not get enough rest. Truck drivers are often under pressure from their employers to deliver loads as quickly as they can. This can lead to them to ignore safety standards.
Another common error made by drivers is driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. These drivers could cause serious car crashes and even kill or injure others.
Other driver errors include improper maintenance of the vehicle and other components, as well as defective parts that can lead to a crash. These are all extremely serious issues that must be addressed by trucking companies as soon as they can.
Trucking accidents are also caused by weather conditions like rain or slippery roads. Truck drivers need to slow down when they encounter these conditions and be aware of the effects on their vehicles.
Recent research has proven that truckers who don't perform these duties can be the cause of fatal accidents. Therefore, it is essential for trucking companies to ensure that all employees adhere to these safety guidelines in order to protect their clients and themselves from dangerous accidents.
The study also revealed that certain drivers are more likely to make these errors than others. This could be due to the fact that they are less experienced or have a lower level of education or experience.
These findings can help decrease the number of accidents that happen on the road, and can also aid trucking companies identify ways to improve safety for drivers. Drivers who are susceptible to these kinds of errors are identified, and the company can be more likely to prepare them correctly so they are able to avoid making these mistakes in the future.
Mechanical Problems
While driver errors are the primary reason behind trucking accidents 10 percent of these accidents also involve mechanical malfunction. This makes it even more vital that truck drivers are aware of the components of their vehicles that could fail.
Federal and state law requires that commercial trucking firms to inspect, repair and maintain their trucks on a regular basis. These inspections are essential to avoid serious accidents that could cause catastrophic injuries or even death.
The three systems are essential to the safety of the truck. If they fail an driver could lose control of their car and smash into other vehicles or pedestrians.
Blowouts and other tire problems are also a typical cause of trucking accidents especially in weather conditions that are harsh or when the terrain is uneven. They can result in jackknifes or swerves that can cause serious crashes.
The steering and suspension systems can affect the safety of the driver. These systems could fail due to poor maintenance, overloaded load or other causes.
If a truck's components aren't maintained and serviced regularly, they may wear out much faster than anticipated. If the engine of a truck is not maintained and inspected regularly, it could start to malfunction before the driver is aware of it.
Another issue that can affect driver safety is the lighting system that comes on the truck. These lights could fail or get damaged causing other drivers to have difficulty recognizing the truck and its contents.
Truckers should check their vehicles' lighting when the weather starts to cool. This will help prevent accidents when the road is covered in rain, snow, or sleet.
Certain truck lights can malfunction due to wiring issues or design faults. These issues can cause a driver to lose vision and miss an opportunity on the side of the road. These issues can result in fatal accidents, particularly when a driver is fatigued or distracted.
Overloading
The overloaded trucks are an issue that can lead to many trucking accidents. This can cause serious injuries, and even death for other drivers on the road.
Overloaded trucks are at greater risk of chance of falling over or being jackknifed. This can cause serious injury to anyone who is on the road. Unsecured cargo could also spill out and cause other drivers to be obstructed on the road.
To prevent truck accidents to prevent trucking accidents, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration imposed strict weight limitations on commercial trucks. These limits restrict the truck's total axle weight and gross combination weight.
A truck that is overloaded will have to brake and slow down more often to avoid a collision. The driver of an overloaded truck may also be less competent to steer, which can lead to a crash.
This kind of trucking accident can be fatal, particularly in the event of a heavy downpour or in snowy conditions. The additional weight puts extra stress on the brakes, and other components of a truck. This causes them to wear more quickly.
Tire blowouts are another common warning sign of an overloaded vehicle. The extra weight puts the tires under strain, which can result in a blowout of the tire and loss of control.
Other indicators that a vehicle is laden with too much are sudden, jerking movements and bowing or sagging in the trailer. It is crucial to examine the load prior to removing the truck from the dock.
Overloaded trucks could be the result of many factors, including the need of business owners to save money by cutting down on the time required to transport cargo. Untrained or inexperienced drivers can also result in overloaded trucks.
If you or a loved one was injured in an accident caused by an overloaded truck, it is recommended that you seek out a legal professional to determine whether it is appropriate to make an insurance claim. This is an effective method of ensuring that the responsible parties are held accountable for your losses and damages.
Jackknife Accidents
Commercial trucks can jackknife the road, causing severe injuries to accident victims. These accidents involving trucks are more common than you imagine. Trucks can weigh as much as 80 tons, and transport a trailer as long as 28 feet at speeds that could cause destruction to private property and even passenger cars.
Fortunately, there are numerous ways you can take to prevent these trucking accidents from happening. First, if you live in Hidalgo County or in the state of Texas and have suffered a severe injuries as a result of a jackknife collision you might be able to seek compensation for your losses, with assistance by a knowledgeable trucking accident lawyer.
Slowing down and allowing trucks plenty of room to stop will also ensure that drivers aren't involved in jackknife-related crashes. This is especially important when roads are icy, wet or have lots of snow and ice on the roads.
If the brakes of commercial trucks stop working abruptly, the driver may lose control of the vehicle. A driver may misjudgment the sharpness of a bend and drive too fast. This can cause the brakes to shut down. The truck could jackknife when the trailer is pushed to one side. This could cause damage to other vehicles.
A shift in the weight of the cargo inside the trailer of the truck is a common cause of a jackknife accident. Experienced loaders carefully take their cargo off their trailers to ensure that the truck and trailer remain in balance. If the load shifts drastically the trailer may become unstable and jackknife.
The driver of a trailer that has jackknifed may lose control of his truck and the cargo. This could cause serious injuries and the need for extensive medical attention, and a significant loss of wages or other compensation.
While a variety of causes can cause a truck to jackknife, the most common cause is due to poor road conditions. Ice, snow, rain road spray, loose substances from the engine of the truck tire kickup, and other environmental factors can all affect the traction of the road and cause a truck to lose its control.