Common Truck Accidents Causes

Accidents involving large commercial trucks may occur for a wide variety of reasons, with numerous potentially responsible parties. According to the Federal Motor carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), drivers are ten times more likely to cause commercial truck accidents than other factors, such as improper cargo loading, vehicle malfunction, or inadequate truck maintenance.
Examples of Driver Errors

The following are some of the most common truck driver errors that may lead to accidents and serious injuries:

Impaired driving—Substance abuse is common among truck drivers due to the isolated and monotonous nature of the profession. Drivers may use alcohol or drugs simply for entertainment or they may use unlawful substances to stay awake. The FMCSA reports that 44 percent of driver-caused accidents involved some type of drug.

Fatigued driving—The FMCSA has strict regulations regarding the hours that drivers may spend on the road and when they must take a break to rest or sleep. If drivers violate these rules, they risk becoming overly fatigue
d and losing concentration or even dozing off at the wheel.

Driving too fast—Because of their great size and weight, commercials trucks may be very difficult to slow down or stop when they are traveling at high speeds. The risks only increase if a driver fails to slow down when faced with adverse weather or road conditions. Taking a turn too quickly may cause the truck to tip over.

Improper passing—Truck drivers often become impatient when they are behind slower traffic, especially if they have delivery deadlines. However, trucks that do not follow proper passing techniques put other motorists in danger. Truck drivers must carefully check all blind spots, make sure there is enough room to pass, and signal appropriately.

Failing to inspect the truck—Prior to every leg of a trip, drivers must conduct an inspection of the truck to make sure it is in proper order. These inspections are required to prevent incidents such as tire blowouts or brake failures. If a truck driver fails to inspect the truck, a part may suddenly malfunction and cause an accident.

If a driver made a negligent error and caused an accident, that driver is generally not likely to voluntarily admit to the negligence. Determining and proving that a certain driver error caused an accident often requires significant investigation, which may involve reviewing records and documents, numerous witness interviews, expert opinions, and accident reconstruction. Injured victims often do not have the resources necessary to conduct such a thorough investigation on their own, and they risk losing their truck accident case by not hiring an experienced attorney.