Common Situations That Lead to Disastrous Truck Collisions
It doesn’t matter if you’re a novice driver or if you’ve been driving for forty years, navigating around semi-trucks can be a nerve-racking experience.
This isn’t something to be ashamed of by any means; trucks can be intimidating. In addition to their size and weight, trucks have a reputation for causing catastrophic injuries during collisions, and their accident rate isn’t exactly minimal.
Texas is a major hub for international truck traffic. Every year millions of trucks cross the country by way of the Lone Star state. Unfortunately, this means that Texas is also a hub for truck accidents. In fact, an average of 500 truck accidents a year result in Texas fatalities, while thousands more cause injury and damages.
But why? What causes trucks to be susceptible to causing catastrophic collisions?
Common Causes
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some of the leading causes of truck accidents include:
Truck Driver Negligence
- Driver fatigue. Long hours causes loss of focus and attention
- Driver driving too fast for conditions
- Driver inattention or distraction
- Driver abuse of alcohol, drugs, or medication
- Driver incompetence, including the failure to apply what was learned in driving school
Truck Maintenance Issues
- Brake problems
- Tire problems
- Overloaded cargo. Too much cargo or cargo that is improperly loaded can throw off balance and make the truck more difficult to control
Car Driver Negligence
Sometimes the primary cause of a truck accident is the driver of another vehicle. Car drivers are not always alert to how difficult it can be to maneuver or stop a big-rig truck.
- Driver fails to pass properly
- Driver fails to compensate for the truck’s air resistance. This can mean a loss of control as the car gets caught up in a commercial truck’s crosswind
- Driver fails to pay attention to truck movements. This includes lurking in the truck’s blind spots or failure to recognize that a commercial truck is slowing down, moving over, or turning
While these are all major causes of truck collisions, as the accident victim, how are you supposed to know if the trucker was tired or if the brakes malfunctioned? Determining the cause of the truck accident is what leads to determining who was at fault. A good accident attorney will be able to thoroughly investigate your case and review the evidence to help you determine liability.
Steering Toward the Best Recovery After a Truck Crash
One of the first things you need to do after a trucking accident is to contact an experienced truck accident lawyer. Both state and federal laws govern commercial trucks, and you need to be represented by an attorney who is familiar with not only the trucking regulations but also how these cases work.
For over twenty years, attorney Steve Lee has dedicated his time and skill to helping those affected by truck-related injuries. He knows how complicated trucking accidents can be as a result of multiple party liability and is prepared to address all avenues for a fair settlement. In addition to the driver, he’ll also help you consider the trucking company, truck manufacturer, brake manufacturer, and other parties that may have been responsible for the cause of your collision to ensure the maximum available compensation.
Call today (713-921-4171) to schedule your complimentary consultation and see how we can help you hold all negligent parties accountable for your injuries.