Automobile accidents happen every day and while some are only minor fender-benders, other ones can cause more significant damage. Of automobile accidents, a collision with a truck or semi can especially be dangerous. While trucking companies are supposed to only hire professionals with the right qualifications and years of experience, sometimes accidents can still happen. There are a variety of factors that may cause a truck crash. Today we’ll look at some of the most common ones.
Accidents Directly Caused by the Driver
Some accidents are caused by the driver’s actions or inaction. Some examples may include:
- Distracted driving: Distracted driving can happen to anyone, including truck drivers. Factors like texting or calling, eating or drinking, changing the radio station, etc., can all lead to a truck accident.
- Driver’s fatigue: While nearly everyone has driven before while feeling a little tired–or even outright exhausted–truck drivers are especially prone to this issue. Many truck drivers are expected to drive for several hours at end of 12 hours or longer. This can result in suffering from driver’s fatigue.
- Driving under the influence: Truckers sometimes engage in substances that hamper their ability to respond. While alcohol sometimes happens, due to truckers needing to stay up long periods of time, it’s not uncommon for truckers to engage in substances like cocaine or meth.
Accidents That May Be Outside the Driver’s Control
Of course, not every trucking accident is caused by the driver–at least not completely. Some examples of these may include:
- Weather conditions: Driving during a nasty winter or rainstorm can be dangerous even for a strong, sturdy semi. Truckers are often expected to haul crucial freight every day regardless of the weather conditions. In addition to snow obscuring their vision, roads can be icy causing drivers to lose control in crash into other vehicles.
- Road conditions: Unfortunately, not every two roads are the same and while we tend to think of truckers as being out on the open highway, the truth is that they still need to use the same roads we use to get to and from work and to run crucial errands. Issues such as crumbling infrastructure or improper signage can cause an accident.
- Maintenance issues: While truckers are supposed to make sure that their vehicle is operating smoothly and that there are no issues, sometimes errors or mistakes may slip by. Additionally, it’s also possible that a trucking company may attempt to cut corners by not having their fleet always properly checked and having problems rectified.
How Can a Lawyer Help
Sometimes a truck crash can be a more difficult case to contend with. The reason for this is that you may end up needing to file a claim or lawsuit against the trucking company as a whole. If the company in question is actually a government entity then the case will be even harder. With a truck crash lawyer on your side, the process can be easier to deal with. Our friends at Greenspan & Greenspan P.C. can help.
