Large trucks such as 18 wheelers do so much for our economy and chances are, something you have purchased in the last year was initially delivered to the store in one of these giant machines.
While they serve a fantastic function in our marketplace, they also have the ability to do serious damage if an accident occurs involving one of these behemoths.
If you are involved in an accident involving a semi-truck, chances are the damages and injuries will be much more severe than an accident involving a regular-sized car or truck.
As such, highway administration officials and law enforcement are always looking for ways to decrease the frequency of such accidents.
Below is a list of some of the major causes of truck accidents in which the truck driver would be at fault.
- Driver Fatigue-Truck drivers run on a schedule and if they are running late, they may choose to drive longer hours than their body can handle. Driving while tired or even falling asleep while driving is a common cause of large truck accidents.
- Driving under the influence-Just as with drivers of regular-sized vehicles, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is another cause of large truck accidents.
- Speeding or reckless driving-While speeding or driving recklessly in any vehicle is dangerous, it is even more so when that vehicle weighs 4 or 5 times as much as the other cars on the road. Quick course correction is much more difficult to perform in a semi-truck so speeding or driving recklessly can lead to serious negative outcomes.
- Vehicle maintenance issues-Large trucks must undergo regular and intense scrutiny to ensure all parts are in perfect working order. If there is a mechanical or structural issue that is not fixed, this can often lead to an accident while the truck is on the road. You have likely seen rubber debris from a blown tire that was from a large truck or even seen one occur as you were driving. While tire blowouts in large trucks are common, most of these can be avoided with regular maintenance. Even something as simple as a blowout can lead to the truck swerving and causing a major accident or the debris itself flying up and hitting an oncoming vehicle.
- Inexperienced driver-Driving a large truck takes a great amount of skill and if a driver is inexperienced, this can lead to driver error that causes a major accident. Seemingly simple maneuvers such as turning a corner or backing up are made much more difficult when the vehicle is 70 or 80 feet long. A trucking company that fails to properly train its drivers can be found negligent in the event this issue causes an accident.
If you have been involved in an accident involving a large truck, it is recommended you contact a law firm immediately. There are many moving parts that exist in such an incident that make accidents with semi-trucks much more complicated than an accident with a regular vehicle.
You may have to deal with the driver, the trucking company, the company that owns the truck and any of a number of insurance agencies dealing with each of the above.
Let an experienced law firm and your insurance company handle the outcome to ensure the best possible scenario for you should such an event occur.
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