A Guide To Common Truck Accidents Causes and Ways To Avoid Them
Getting into a car accident can be scary. Whether minor or more extensive, it’s a terrifying experience and can have fatal consequences. What makes things worse is if you’re involved in a truck accident. These large vehicles can cause far more damage than a standard car so avoiding accidents with these vehicles is ideal.
Unfortunately, truck accidents happen more often than we want. There are a few common reasons truck accidents happen, but there are ways to avoid them! Besides learning about the most common blind spots of 18-wheelers, there are more ways to prevent these horrific accidents.
The Main Causes of Truck Accidents
Before you can learn how to avoid truck accidents, knowing the leading causes of them is essential. You can’t solve a problem without knowing what causes the problem in the first place.Truck accidents happen for various reasons, and in 2020, there were almost 5,000 truck-related accidents in the United States. The leading causes of truck nonfatal and fatal truck accidents are:
- Driver fatigue
- Driver illness
- Driver error
- Distracted driving
- Inadequate truck maintenance
- Negligent training and hiring of truck drivers
- Driving under the influence
How To Avoid Truck Accidents
So, how can you avoid truck accidents? Many truck accidents happen due to the truck driver, but anyone on the road can help prevent these accidents.Driver Fatigue
Truck drivers are on the road for hours, and driving can get tiring. There are strict laws about how long a truck driver can be behind the wheel at a time before it’s deemed unsafe. Ensuring all drivers abide by these laws and get enough rest is vital to preventing truck accidents.Driver Illness
Truck drivers with any underlying illnesses can also be at fault for truck accidents. Those at risk for heart attacks, strokes, and other serious health events might have one behind the wheel and injure people. While it’s not that they caused the accident on purpose, staying up to date on health checks and not overworking is key.Driver Error
People make mistakes. Driver error is another huge cause of truck accidents. Sometimes drivers don’t check their mirrors for other vehicles, turn too soon, or do something else that can cause an accident. Taking more time to make decisions behind the wheel can prevent driver error.Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is a major cause of almost all types of accidents, not just truck accidents. Drivers busy on their phones, looking elsewhere, not focusing on the road, and other distractions can cause the driver to swerve, not brake fast enough, etc. Remembering to stay focused and attentive and keep your phone away from you can prevent distracted driving.Inadequate Truck Maintenance
Inadequate truck maintenance can harm the driver and others on the road. Trucking companies and drivers can avoid accidents by ensuring their trucks are in the best possible condition before getting on the road.Negligent Training and Hiring of Truck Drivers
Trucking companies need to be thorough when hiring truck drivers. They must possess a commercial license type and abide by stricter laws than standard drivers. Trucking companies can avoid accidents by properly training their drivers and not hiring anyone with a history of negligent driving.Driving Under the Influence
Unfortunately, people will get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or other substances. While you can’t control other people’s actions, the best way to avoid a truck accident is to report any driver to highway patrol who might be driving under the influence.Conclusion
Understanding the most common reasons for truck accidents is the key to preventing them. Knowing these reasons can help you and others keep our roads a safer place to be. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, be sure to hire an attorney to help you get the compensation you deserve.Do You Need An Attorney?
If so, post a short summary of your legal needs to our site and let attorneys submit applications to fulfill those needs. No time wasted, no hassle, no confusion, no cost.
Posted - 12/23/2022
Connect with us:
Learn about us:
