Commercial trucks travel many miles across the United States. Often, these large trucks are loaded down with goods. This makes transport slower and more complicated. Thus, accidents can happen, due to a number of variables. Here are eight common causes of a commercial truck accident. And, if you’ve been injured in a crash, contact a truck accident attorney at Lerner and Rowe for a free, no-obligation case review.
1. Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is very common among truck drivers and drivers of smaller vehicles. After all, it may become difficult to resist the urge to read a text, eat, or call a friend during long hours on the road.
However, when the driver is not paying attention, they may miss something. While the driver is not looking, objects may enter the roadway, cars may change lanes, or conditions may suddenly change. Thus, it is important for any driver to remain vigilant to avoid an accident.
2. Fatigued Driving
Some truck drivers are on the road for hours without a rest. While most companies do have break policies in place, sometimes these policies are overlooked, ignored, or not enforced.
Unfortunately, this leads to tired men and women becoming drowsy behind the wheel. This can lead to slower reflexes, poor judgement, and higher possibility of an accident. Your truck accident attorney at Lerner and Rowe may be able to find evidence of fatigued driving by reviewing driver log books, thus indicating possible liability.
3. Impaired Driving
Every 52 minutes, a person dies in a drunk-driving accident. It is illegal in any state to drive while impaired, so these fatalities are completely avoidable.
Furthermore, truck drivers should have little to no alcohol in their system while driving, if any at all. In fact, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) established that as little as 0.04% blood alcohol concentration level (BAC) renders those with a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) impaired. This means that just one drink can lead to devastating consequences.
4. Improper Training
Even though truck drivers go through much training before hitting the road, improper training can cause semi-truck accidents.
Additionally, part of training is learning the proper way to secure a load. Failure to secure a load can lead to substantial injury, caused by:
- items flying off a truck bed,
- spilled hazardous liquids, or
- an imbalance in the load, leading to a jackknifed truck.
A jackknifed truck can strike other vehicles and endanger anything in the roadway.
5. Poor Maintenance
Part of truck driver training covers the maintenance of the vehicle they drive. Moreover, the law requires that owners keep their trucks at top condition. Sometimes, this training is not completed, or the law is disregarded. Thus, broken coupling devices, worn brake pads and tires, and major equipment malfunctions may lead to an accident.
6. Wide Turns
Wide turns are another common cause of semi-truck accidents. During a wide turn, drivers must plan accordingly. Otherwise, a vehicle may be struck. Furthermore, if the turn goes into oncoming traffic, these accidents can cause significant injury. So, if you were injured in a truck accident involving a wide turn, call 844-977-1900 to take advantage of Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys’ 24/7 legal help.
7. Tight Deadlines
With an important load and their job on the line, truck companies sometimes place tight deadlines on drivers. This leads to rushed loading, breaks skipped, and speeding. All of these factors raise the chances of commercial truck accidents. Again, a skilled truck accident attorney will obtain and review driver log books for evidence of unrealistic deadlines.
8. Equipment Malfunctions
Sometimes, a truck accident is not caused by the driver, the truck company, or truck owner. On occasion, a product manufacturer that is negligent about its product may contribute to the cause of an accident. Brakes, tires, steering systems, transmissions and more may fail, at no fault of anyone but those who made them.
This can get confusing, and difficult to prove. So, it’s of utmost importance that you have a knowledgeable truck accident attorney on your side. They will navigate the ins and outs of your complicated case. So, with thousands of five-star reviews, look no further than the attorneys at Lerner and Rowe. Contact us for your FREE consultation today.
Determining Liability After a Commercial Truck Accident
These semi-truck accidents can cause much more harm than those involving smaller vehicles. Some of the most common injuries in these types of crashes are broken bones, back, head, and neck injuries, and most unfortunately, death. The mental and emotional trauma of such an accident can also lead to life-changing complications.
Determining who is liable for a commercial truck accident can be complicated, as there are often many parties involved. You want to focus on other things, especially if you are injured. Thankfully, the most valuable non-legal service we provide is to carry the emotional burden of our clients so that they can focus on recovery.
So, contact our award-winning legal team today. We can offer legal help any time of the day or night. Simply call 844-977-1900, fill out this online form, or utilize our LiveChat feature. We are ready to stand up for you and your family.