Any traffic accident is bad news but it can often create a more dangerous scenario when a truck is involved.
If you are unfortunate enough to be caught up in a collision with such a large vehicle you may well need accident lawyers who are good at finding solutions when it comes to helping you pick up the pieces afterward.
Here is a look at some of the main causes of trucking accidents and some safety suggestions that might prevent them from happening in the first place.
Tiredness is often a factor
None of us should ever get behind the wheel when we are too tired to drive safely and truck drivers are often at risk of fatigue because of the distances they travel and the number of hours they put in between breaks.
Truckers often find themselves against the clock and that can mean they might take risks and drive while tired. It is hoped that responsible drivers and business owners will monitor driving hours to prevent this from happening.
A lack of training
Driving a truck is not as straightforward as driving a car and a lack of professional training beyond the basic requirements can often put drivers at risk from losing control or potentially creating an accident scenario due to a lack of training.
Drink and drugs
You would hope that no driver of any vehicle attempts to get behind the wheel if they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Sadly, not everyone takes this responsible approach and a percentage of truck drivers are discovered to have alcohol or non-medicinal drugs in their system each year.
Not observing the speed limit
Going over the speed limit is not advisable in any vehicle but it becomes even more of a dangerous strategy when you are driving something as large as a truck.
A number of trucking accidents are caused by the driver going too fast.
Not staying in lane
Overtaking is a maneuver that always needs to be undertaken with care and a truck that is overtaking other vehicles at speed can create an added level of danger.
It can sometimes happen that you might be put at risk by a truck driver going too fast and overtaking dangerously, potentially forcing you into evasive action or even forcing you off the road.
Eyes on the road ahead
A major cause of traffic accidents in the US is distracted driving and it is not hard to see why this might happen with so many potential distractions to prevent you from look at the road ahead, even for a few moments.
Mechanical failure
Another regular cause of truck accidents is when something goes wrong with the vehicle such as brakes failing.
You would hope that truck drivers check their brakes and other components on a regular basis but an unexpected mechanical failure could still put the driver and other road users at risk when that happens.
If you aim to pay attention to vehicles around you on the road such as trucks you would hope that you might manage to spot any danger and take evasive action.
If you are involved in a truck accident it makes sense to get some professional legal guidance so that you can claim all the financial help and support you are entitled to.
