Common causes of truck accidents
Accidents are a daily occurrence on New York’s many busy roads and highways, but accidents involving trucks are especially dangerous.
Trucks sit higher on the ground than cars, which means cars slide underneath trucks, trapping drivers or crushing cars. Trucks are also extremely heavy, with some fully loaded semi-trucks weighing up to 40 tons.
Truck accident injuries are often catastrophic
It is no surprise that car drivers or passengers are likely to sustain more serious injuries than in crashes involving smaller vehicles.
Some of the most common causes of truck accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Driver fatigue
- Driving while impaired
- Speeding
Everyone is at risk of distracted driving, but distracted driving poses an especially serious risk for truck drivers. There are many distractions that are unique to truck drivers, such as using a dispatching device, calculator or other equipment that assists them in navigating their route.
Long hours and tight schedules
Truck drivers have grueling hours and difficult schedules. They must reach their route destination by a certain time. Factors such as bad weather or traffic jams can cause delays, which means truck drivers may skip rest breaks or speed to make their deadline.
Driving while impaired is a major problem in the trucking industry. Many truckers involved in accidents have been found to have alcohol, stimulants or drugs such as marijuana or narcotics in their systems.
When these types of factors are present, the truck driver may have been engaging in negligent behavior. If negligence is proven, truck accident victims may receive damages through compensation for medical bills or the cost of injury treatment, lost wages and pain and suffering.
The consequences of a truck accident can be life-altering and permanent. An experienced personal injury attorney can advise on the law of negligence and help with holding truck drivers accountable.