Every single year there are hundreds of thousands of commercial truck accidents happening in the US. Unfortunately, several thousands of them end up in fatalities. We are looking at very large vehicles that would cause huge damage whenever something goes wrong. And these accidents can happen due to several different causes.
Always hire a truck accident lawyer if you need to file an injury claim after a truck accident. You would be faced with a very complex legal battle. Just take a look at the causes highlighted in this article to understand why this is the case. Learn more
Other Vehicles
Many commercial truck accidents are caused by passenger vehicle drivers. That usually happens because the driver does not understand the difficulty of the manoeuvrability of the truck. It is common to see drivers cutting trucks off, pulling out right in front of them as they expect fast brakes, not recognizing when trucks turn right, and becoming affected by the cross-wind near the truck. If the fault is of the passenger car driver, truck injury claims cannot be filed.
Human Error
This is another very common commercial truck accident cause. Truck drivers do go through extra training and do understand the dangers they have on the road. The training they receive usually helps deal with most potentially dangerous situations that could appear on the road. Even so, human error can always appear.
In several cases, the truck driver is overworked or stressed. This means it is very easy to make a mistake. And when a mistake happens with a truck accident, it is usually the passengers of the smaller vehicles that suffer the most. Keep in mind that driver fatigue makes up a large part of truck accidents.
Overload
When the commercial truck is overloaded, everyone on the road is in danger. The truck will be heavier so it will be much tougher to control. Also, debris might end up coming loose, which would potentially hit other drivers. Heavy trucks cannot stop fast and can easily flip over or jackknife.
Mechanical Defects
There are often situations in which the truck has a serious problem that led to the accident. For instance, when brake maintenance is not properly taken care of, this can easily lead to an accident. Also, other things like burst tires could cause collisions. Basically, every single piece of equipment we have in trucks can be problematic.
Driving Under The Influence
While alcohol consumption is not that common in commercial truck accidents, driving under the influence is. Often, this includes medication taken with the purpose of being able to drive for a longer distance.
When the truck driver is negatively influenced by substances of any kind, accidents can happen, regardless of the experience of the professional.
Conclusions
Several causes exist when looking at truck accidents. Those highlighted in the paragraphs above are just the most common ones. If you are a victim, make sure to get the medical attention you need. Then, look for an experienced truck accident lawyer who could help you receive the financial compensation you deserve, according to law.