Causes of Truck Accidents

Causes of Truck Accidents

Truck accidents are a significant concern on roads and highways across the United States. Due to their size and weight, commercial trucks can cause severe injuries and damage in collisions. It often takes an experienced truck accident lawyer to understand the factors that lead to these accidents.

When you have a skilled truck accident attorney handling your claim, you can trust your lawyer to investigate your collision, figure out the cause, and hold the correct parties accountable for their wrongdoing.

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Determining the Cause of Your Truck Accident

After a truck accident, you must clarify and prove several key details. Among these, the cause of the collision is one of the most important.

Truck accidents happen every day for many different reasons. Recently, 183,527 commercial truck collisions took place in just one year. These accidents regularly result in extensive injuries, property damage, and even death.

When you determine the cause of your truck accident, you can then prove who is at fault for your collision. Determining liability ensures you pursue fair compensation from the appropriate party.

After a truck accident, you deserve to seek justice and financial recovery for your injuries. Establishing the cause of your collision can get you closer to meeting your objective.

Common Causes of Trucking Collisions

Commercial truck accidents occur for numerous reasons. Sometimes, a crash results from a single cause, while in other cases, many factors contribute to a collision. The following are just some of the most common causes of truck accidents.

Driver Fatigue

Driver fatigue is one of the leading causes of truck accidents. Truck drivers often work long hours, and their fatigue can impair their reaction times, decision-making abilities, and overall driving performance.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) enforces hours of service regulations to combat driver fatigue. These rules limit the hours a truck driver can drive within a given period and mandate rest breaks.

Despite these regulations, fatigue remains a persistent issue, often exacerbated by unrealistic schedules and pressure from employers.

When driver fatigue is a factor, liability may fall on the driver or the trucking company. Trucking companies can be held responsible if they encourage or require drivers to violate hours-of-service regulations.

Legal claims may involve proving that the driver’s fatigue directly caused the accident and that the trucking company failed to adhere to regulations.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is another significant cause of truck accidents. While on the road, distractions can include using a cell phone, adjusting the radio, or eating, among many others.

The FMCSA implemented regulations prohibiting texting and using handheld mobile devices while driving. Despite these rules, distractions remain a problem due to the pervasive use of technology and the temptation to multitask while spending long hours driving.

In accidents caused by distracted driving, the driver is typically held liable. Evidence, like cell phone records, can help establish that a distracted driver caused the collision.

Impaired Driving

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol poses a severe risk to all road users. For truck drivers, impairment can be particularly dangerous and often results in accidents.

FMCSA regulations require drug and alcohol testing for truck drivers. Random testing and post-accident testing are also mandated to ensure compliance. Despite these measures, some drivers still operate under the influence, leading to dangerous situations on the road.

When impaired driving is a factor, the truck driver is usually held responsible for the collision. Additionally, trucking companies may face legal consequences if they fail to enforce proper testing procedures or allow impaired drivers to drive.

Inadequate Vehicle Maintenance

Regular maintenance is crucial for the safe operation of trucks. Inadequate maintenance can lead to mechanical failures and increase the risk of accidents.

FMCSA regulations mandate regular inspection and maintenance of commercial vehicles. Trucking companies must ensure that their trucks are maintained according to these standards to prevent accidents caused by mechanical issues.

If inadequate maintenance contributes to a collision, you can hold the trucking company or maintenance and repair providers liable. Truck accident claims may involve proving that someone failed to meet maintenance standards and that this failure contributed to the accident.

Mechanical Failures

Mechanical failures, such as brake malfunctions, tire blowouts, or engine issues, can lead to truck accidents. Even with proper inspections, unforeseen problems can still arise.

When a mechanical failure occurs in any part of a commercial vehicle, you need a lawyer to determine why it happened. A truck accident lawyer may attribute it to a defect or malfunction, inadequate truck maintenance, or failure to repair an issue.

Product designers, manufacturers, and distributors can be at fault when mechanical failures result in accidents. You may need a lawyer to determine the exact cause of the mechanical problem to determine who is liable for the failure and, therefore, responsible for the collision.

Poor Road Conditions

Road conditions significantly impact truck safety. Hazardous road conditions often include potholes, uneven surfaces, and shoulder drop-offs.

Road maintenance is typically the responsibility of local, state, or federal agencies. While trucking companies and drivers cannot directly control road conditions, they must adjust their driving to account for poor road conditions and adverse weather.

In accidents involving hazardous road conditions, liability may lie with the governmental agency responsible for road maintenance. However, truck drivers may also be held accountable if they fail to adjust their driving practices to the conditions.

Insufficient Driver Training

Insufficient driver training can lead to trucking accidents if drivers lack the skills or knowledge to operate large trucks safely. Proper training is essential for handling the unique challenges of commercial vehicle driving.

The FMCSA requires truck drivers to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and complete specific training programs. Training and education programs must cover safe driving practices, vehicle operation, and emergency procedures.

When insufficient training is a factor in a truck accident, liability may rest with the trucking company for failing to provide proper training. The trucking company may face legal claims for negligent hiring depending on the situation.

Improper Cargo Loading and Securing

Overloading a truck and improperly securing cargo can significantly affect a truck’s handling and stability. Excess weight can strain the truck’s brakes and tires, while poorly secured cargo can shift during transit, causing the driver to lose control of their vehicle and cause an accident.

FMCSA regulations set limits on truck weight and require proper cargo securement. Compliance with these regulations is essential for ensuring safe vehicle operation. Overloading and poor cargo securement can increase the risk of certain types of collisions, including rollovers.

When accidents occur due to improper cargo loading and securing, you might hold the trucking company, cargo loaders, or shippers liable. Truck accident claims often involve assessing whether weight limits and securement standards were adhered to and whether any negligence contributed to the collision.

Weather Conditions

Weather conditions like rain, snow, fog, and ice can create risky driving conditions. Trucks require additional caution and slower speeds to navigate safely in adverse weather.

Truck drivers cannot control the weather but must adjust their driving to the conditions. They are required to exercise extra caution and follow safe driving practices during bouts of bad weather.

Truck drivers must modify their driving to account for the weather, and weather-related accidents often involve assessing whether they took appropriate precautions.

Missing Safety Equipment

Proper lighting and mirrors on a truck are essential for overall safety. Malfunctioning or missing lights or mirrors can impair visibility and increase the risk of collisions.

The FMCSA requires that trucks be equipped with functioning lights and reflectors. Lack of these can not only make it harder for truck drivers to see, but it can also make it more difficult for others to see these vehicles, especially at night on dark roads.

In accidents involving insufficient lighting or mirrors, liability often falls on the trucking company for failing to maintain proper equipment. Evidence of missing equipment or malfunctions and maintenance records can prove liability.

Injuries Caused by Trucking Collisions

Regardless of the cause of a truck accident, these collisions can be some of the most dangerous and destructive.

A collision with a commercial vehicle can leave you facing extensive, life-altering injuries, including:

• Burns
• Fractures
• Head and neck injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Spinal cord injuries
• Soft tissue injuries
• Internal injuries
• Crush injuries

Truck crash injuries can affect your life and physical well-being in the short and potentially long term. Based on the severity, many truck accident injuries can worsen and lead to additional issues, such as nerve damage, paralysis, and amputations.

Your injuries can affect you physically and mentally, but also financially. Getting proper medical treatment can be particularly costly, and you may not have the means to afford it all on your own.

This is one primary reason why pursuing compensation through a truck accident claim is essential. Monetary recovery can help ensure you get the care you need and relieve some unavoidable financial burdens.

Damages Available for Truck Accident Cases

Truck accident damages can provide much-needed compensation for the injuries, expenses, and losses resulting from your collision.

Damages may compensate you for your tangible and intangible losses, such as:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost earnings
• Diminished earning potential
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Loss of enjoyment of life

The value of your truck accident claim depends on:

• The severity of your injuries
• The total cost of your medical expenses
• Whether you’ll require care for your injuries in the future
• The total of your lost earnings from time taken off of work
• Whether you’ll be able to return to the same work you did before your collision
• How your injuries have impacted you mentally and emotionally

Knowing how much your trucking collision case is worth can ensure you get the proper compensation you need. The cause of your accident can also play a part in the value of your claim.

The Importance of Working with a Truck Accident Attorney for Your Claim

Following a trucking collision, you should not hesitate to discuss your case with a skilled truck accident lawyer. When you hire an attorney to handle your case, they will take on all case-related tasks, big and small. Among these many tasks, they’ll investigate your accident and determine what caused the crash.

A personal injury lawyer handling your claim can significantly impact your overall experience and case results. A truck accident attorney can give you peace of mind as they protect your rights and work to get you the financial recovery you deserve.

Take Action Following a Truck Accident

Truck accidents can result from driver fatigue and impaired driving to hazardous road conditions and insufficient driver training. Understanding the cause of your trucking collision can aid in pursuing compensation from the appropriate party and put you in a favorable position to get the justice and monetary recovery you need.

If you suffer injuries in a truck accident, put your case in the hands of an experienced injury lawyer in San Jose. Your lawyer will determine and prove the cause of your collision and represent your best interests throughout your case.