As opposed to smaller vehicle collisions, truck accidents more frequently cause substantial damages. Because of the huge sizes of these trucks, they’re much harder to control, and it takes much longer to come to a stop in case there’s a need for an emergency halt. Therefore, the injuries caused by truck accidents are often deadly.
It is for this reason that truck drivers are required to be aware of common road mistakes to avoid in order to protect themselves and other drivers on the road. A single minor error could result in huge casualties.
The cost and degree of injuries from truck accidents are usually amplified for both the victim and the driver. For the victim, the results often involve legally battling the driver, the trucking company, and insurance providers, but with the help of a truck accident lawyer, one can get full compensation.
What Are the Causes of Truck Accidents?
1. Malfunctioning Brakes
The air brakes in most trucks can malfunction, leaving the driver helpless in instances where they need to make a stop. The breaks are built to stop a truck at 100 feet at a speed of 35 to 49 mph. Therefore, when a fully loaded truck experiences a brake malfunction, the results can be catastrophic.
2. Rollovers
Rollovers might just be the most common cause of truck accidents and are sometimes contributed to by bad weather. This happens when a truck driver loses control of the wheel and begins to slide sideways, eventually tipping over sideways. The force of the truck’s load can also catalyze the rollover, leading to very high casualty rates.
3. Blind Spots
Blind spots cause accidents in all types of vehicles but most particularly in trucks that have large blind spot areas that are potential accident risks. The right and left sides of trucks are often the truck drivers’ biggest blind spots; therefore, other drivers should avoid following too closely to avoid getting thrown from the vehicle.
4. Swinging Turns
Swinging turns occur when vehicles collide while a truck is turning. It may happen when a truck makes a turn that’s too wide and ends up hitting other cars or when a truck doesn’t make a wide enough turn. This may cause accidents and even deaths.
5. Overloading Cargo
There are weight limits on how much cargo a truck can carry. When this limit is breached, the load becomes too heavy for the truck, and the driver may lose control of the wheel and cause an accident.
6. Falling Debris
When cargo is improperly loaded and a truck moves over bumps, some of the cargo might come loose and roll off the truck. Falling debris can be a potential risk for catastrophic accidents on the road for smaller vehicles.
7. Driver Fatigue
Truck drivers drive long distances and for long hours. Even when exhausted, some drivers still keep going to cover their targeted distance before making a stop. Exhaustion may have an impact on a driver’s focus on the road, which may lead to a crash and cause a lot of casualties and damages to property.
Follow Safe Driving Techniques
Most of these accident causes are avoidable only if truck drivers apply vigilance when driving. Truck accidents cause more damage than any other type of accident; therefore, the penalties are amplified. It is up to the individual driver to ensure they abide by road safety regulations.
