What are the main causes of truck accidents?
Most truck accidents result from unfit drivers, who do not meet federal safety requirements or have serious health problems. A recent study found that 20 percent of truck drivers admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel at least once a month. Unhealthy driving habits and speeding can also contribute to truck accidents. Regardless of the causes, it is essential to follow safety procedures and monitor driver behavior to avoid truck accidents. In addition to driver fatigue, the following factors contribute to truck accidents: improper load, unbalanced truck, and excessive speed. If you have suffered a personal injury from a truck accident, contact Dozier Law Firm to hire an experienced attorney you can trust.
Improper cargo loading can cause a truck to flip over. Poor cargo loading can also cause the entire truck to tip over. Proper loading can be the responsibility of the truck driver, trucking company, or third-party cargo loaders. Always check the cargo to ensure that it is properly secured and is not a contributing factor to truck accidents. Incorrectly secured loads are one of the leading causes of truck accidents, but they don’t have to be.
Driver negligence is another common cause of truck accidents. Most trucking companies cut corners when it comes to safety to save money. This can lead to deadly accidents. Chameleon carriers are also a common cause of truck accidents. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, there were 1,073 commercial trucking companies that had serious safety violations, including improper hiring practices and hiring unfit drivers. The results of these accidents are not always positive.
Trucking companies often fail to provide drivers with the proper training to ensure safe and productive driving. These companies also fail to provide adequate rest breaks. In addition to driver negligence, a truck company’s failure to hire quality drivers is another major cause of truck accidents. Truck drivers fail to properly adjust to weather and road conditions. Failure to enforce break periods, inadequate supervision, and unsafe working conditions contribute to truck accidents. These are the main causes of truck accidents, but there are also other causes.
Another cause of truck crashes is fatigue. Most drivers spend long hours on the road with little rest in between drives. In addition to fatigue, truck drivers often lack adequate sleep, which can result in misjudgments, miscalculations, and a failure to maintain control of a massive vehicle. Poor vehicle maintenance can also result in truck accidents. And last, but certainly not the least, truck drivers are not supervised.
Distracted driving is another factor. Although most truck drivers don’t use CB radios as much as they used to, they are still susceptible to distracted driving. Even listening to music while driving can be considered distracted driving. Other causes of truck accidents include improper vehicle maintenance, such as low tire pressure or worn tires. Truck maintenance is normally the responsibility of the driver, so failure to maintain the truck can lead to an accident.
