The Most Common Causes Of Truck Accidents

Being involved in a serious truck accident is a devastating experience that can take a toll on injured survivors who do not have a full support system. In cases with severe physical injuries, the emotional burden of dealing with trucking companies who do not want to take responsibility for their actions, can make dealing with the aftermath of a truck wreck overwhelming. However, there are legal options available that can help improve outcomes for victims of large truck wrecks and ensure victims obtain the financial compensation from those responsible.

Truck crashes, like all traffic accident types, can be caused by multiple factors. However, as data provided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggest, some causes of truck accidents occur with more frequency than others. Among the most prevalent factors identified as playing the most significant role in the hundreds of thousands of commercial truck accidents that have occurred over the course of the last five years are the following:

• Truck driver fatigue – In spite of federal regulations that impose limitations on driving time and distance truck drivers can commute without resting, truck drivers notoriously fail to obey related laws and drive for long hours without rest in an effort to meet unreasonable deadlines in response to carrier company demands.
• Speeding or failing to obey other traffic laws – Speeding reduces the stopping time of commercial trucks significantly, and in a number of crash cases, speeding truck drivers did not have sufficient reaction time to avoid a disaster before the collision occurred.
• Poorly maintained trucks – Trucking companies and their drivers have a responsibility to make sure required maintenance is performed in a timely manner on their vehicles before allowing them to be on the road. A number of carrier companies; however, attempt to save on costs or pressure drivers to meet tight deadlines and skip important vehicle inspection checks. This increases the risks of being involved in a major collision.
• Use of drugs or alcohol – A number of truck drivers abuse substances while on the road. Driving while under the influence accounts for 30 percent of all major commercial truck crashes.

The truck accident attorneys of 1-800-TruckWreck are available to help individuals who have been injured in a major truck wreck understand their legal options against carrier companies whose negligence played a role in their accident. Individuals who have questions about getting legal help for a truck accident can call 1-800-Truck-Wreck® to speak directly with someone about their claim.