According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), over 4,000 fatal crashes involving large trucks occur across the United States each year. Additionally, more than 100,000 truck accidents result in injuries. When truck accidents occur, those in smaller vehicles often suffer severe injuries because of the massive size and weight of large trucks. Truck accidents result in more property damage and more fatal injuries than other types of traffic accidents.
Truck accidents can happen for a wide range of preventable reasons. If you have sustained injuries in a truck accident, call a truck accident lawyer to discuss the circumstances of your accident.
Below you will find the most common causes of truck accidents in Georgia and throughout the United States.
1. Driving While Distracted
When truck drivers take their hands, eyes, or mind away from driving, a serious truck accident resulting in severe injuries might occur. Truck drivers are held to federal laws concerning cell phone use. They may only use a mobile device with a hands-free feature, using voice activation or touching only one button to initiate or answer a call. A truck accident might occur because of other distractions too, such as adjusting the radio or other features on the truck, eating, reaching for something, or personal grooming.
2. Driving While Impaired
Driving under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, or prescription medication can cause deadly truck accidents. Truckers who hold commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) must have random drug screenings and face harsh penalties if they fail, so abuse isn’t as prevalent as you might think. Yet, even prescription medications can impair a truck driver and lead to an accident when not taken as directed by a physician. Alcohol use is more common among truckers, whose legal limit is 0.04 breath alcohol level. Controlled substances impair a driver’s ability to control a truck, which needs much more time and distance to maneuver and react to hazards.
3. Driving While Fatigued
Truck drivers have demanding schedules, long hours, and sometimes have to drive overnight, leading to drowsiness and fatigue. Falling asleep at the wheel can lead to severe and fatal accidents. Truck drivers must adhere to Hours of Service (HOS) regulations intended to reduce fatigued truckers on the road. HOS regulations allow drivers to operate for 11 hours each day if they have 10 hours off-duty and they cannot be on duty more than 14 hours per day. Even with these regulations other factors such as untreated sleep disorders, medical issues, and medications might lead to fatigue or drowsiness and cause an accident.
4. Speeding
A heavy truck that is speeding or going to fast for conditions is a deadly weapon. If drivers lose control and the truck hits another vehicle, any drivers or passengers in other vehicles will be lucky to live or not suffer debilitating injuries. Demanding pick-up and drop-off schedules often cause some truckers to travel faster than they should. The weight of a large truck makes it difficult for them to travel too far above the speed limit and build up any speed on city streets, but truck drivers who are in a rush sometimes drive too fast for road, weather, or traffic conditions.
5. Following Too Closely
Tailgating is dangerous and can lead to a severe truck accident. Motor vehicle drivers must leave a two to four second gap behind the vehicle in front of them, and truckers need to leave at least twice as much, according to the FMSCA. Depending on the weight and size of their cargo, trucks might need up to 400 feet to stop, compared to a car’s 140 feet, when traveling at 55 miles per hour. When truckers follow too closely, especially in heavy traffic or rainy weather, it might result in a rear-end collision. These are rarely minor accidents when a large truck is involved.
6. Blind Spots
When truckers change lanes or make turns without clearing their blind spots, it can result in an accident. Semi trucks have large blind spots that extend about 20 feet in front of the cab, 30 feet behind the trailer, and large areas on both sides of the truck. Without rearview mirrors truckers have to take special care to use their side mirrors and watch out their windows for passing vehicles to clear their blind spots. A truck driver must clear their blind spots, but those in other vehicles need to avoid them as much as possible to avoid an accident.
7. Defective Truck/Truck Parts
Defective trucks or truck parts can lead to mechanical failure which might cause a fatal accident. Steering problems, brake system failures, and tire blowouts can be caused by defective trucks. Sometimes truck defects occur in the design process, but more often during manufacturing. Components of the truck might have been assembled with poor materials or an employee error led to a weak component. In any case, mechanical failures can cause truckers to lose control of the truck, resulting in accidents and injuries.
8. Inadequate Truck Maintenance
Trucking companies have a legal obligation to perform inspections and preventative maintenance on their trucks to make sure they are roadworthy. When those who own trucks do not uphold these duties, unsafe trucks on the road might cause an accident when a mechanical failure occurs. Examples of scenarios that might lead to a truck accident caused by poor maintenance include
- Blowouts from worn tires that weren’t properly rotated and changed
- Brake failure because fluids weren’t checked and filled
- Worn axles that break because they can no longer hold weight
An Experienced Georgia Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help You
If another party’s negligence caused you to suffer injuries in a truck accident, you shouldn’t have to shoulder the financial burden which accompanies severe injuries. Contact a truck accident lawyer with experience in the settlement, negotiation, and litigation of truck accident cases. Most will provide a free consultation to determine the best course of action for you after a truck accident and help you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
