Suppose you are on the road. You always want to keep your eyes on the car in front. Accidents can happen at any time, which means you want to be ready all the time. The most common are truck accidents that result in injuries and loss of life on the roads.
When you are involved in a car accident, you should always contact your Chicago Personal Injury Attorney at salvilaw.com, to take you through filing for your claims.
Here are some of the most common causes of truck accidents that you should beware of:
Truck drivers not training well
One of the main causes of road accidents is incompetent truck drivers on the wheel. Driving a truck is way different from driving a car. That means as a truck driver you should go through proper training and gain all the required skills to drive your truck properly.
Truck drivers who are not trained properly are not aware of truck driving techniques and road safety concerns.
Therefore, untrained truck drivers are most likely to cause accidents on the road than those who are well trained.
Overspeeding and overtaking
Overspeeding and overtaking at the wrong spots is another cause of truck accidents on the roads. Overspeeding when driving any kind of vehicle, a car or truck, can usually result in accidents. The majority of accidents also occur when drivers try to overtake at high speed.
In most cases, truck drivers will overspeed when trying to catch the strict deadlines issued by companies to deliver goods on time. Also, when truck drivers overspeed in poor weather conditions, they are at high risk of causing an accident.
Cars driven in no-zone areas
When cars are driven in no-zones, it can often result in accidents. The No-Zone area is the area behind and besides the truck. No cars are supposed to drive in this area.
When a car or passenger vehicle is driving in this area, the vehicle is always at a big risk of causing an accident because the truck driver cannot see them. This is an area of zero visibility, and therefore car drivers should always be extra careful not to collide with trucks for driving in no-zones.
Fatigue and distracted driving
Another cause of truck accidents on the road is fatigue and distracted driving. When drivers are on the steering for hours, they become bored and even exhausted. This, in most cases, will cause fatigue, and the drivers can fall asleep easily or end up looking for distractions to keep them entertained while driving.
Distractions may include picking phone calls or playing video games while on the steering, resulting in fatal road accidents.
Drug abuse
You are likely to ignore that truck driving has the highest rate of drug abuse, but it does. In a recent report, it has been shown that at least 30% of truck drivers admit to be taking some drugs while at work. One of the most abused drugs by truckers includes cocaine, marijuana, and amphetamines.
Most of these drugs will help drivers stay awake most of the time. However, they are still at risky of unsafe lane changes, overspeeding, overtaking, and maneuvering in lousy weather.
Poor maintenance of trucks
Besides training their drivers, trucking companies should also ensure their vehicles are well maintained before taking them to the roads. Maintaining a truck takes time and other resources that most companies try to avoid, thus putting the life of drivers and other road users in danger.
Truck companies may not be willing to spend valuable time on truck maintenance instead of making deliveries. The scheduled maintenance may fall wayside at times, and the truck finds itself on the roads without proper maintenance. This puts the driver’s life in danger.
Suppose a truck is involved in an accident because of poor maintenance. In that case, some parties should be held accountable, like the trucking company, the parts manufacturer, and the mechanic involved in truck maintenance. You can file a lawsuit and be compensated if you are involved in a truck accident.
Overloading
Most trucking companies ignore overloading, and improper cargo loading which is another cause of truck accidents. Improper loading of the cargo can also contribute to accidents. When loading the trucks, drivers should ensure the load adheres to a specific height, length, width, size, and weight limits. If the truck is carrying hazardous materials, there are specific regulations that the trucks must meet before hitting the road.
Sometimes mistakes happen, and the load makes the truck too heavy to move or tip over. If the load falls on the road, it can cause a severe accident. If the load is hazardous, it can catch on fire and even create dangerous situations.
Severe weather
Severe weather is another cause of truck accidents that is beyond human control. Inclement weather reduces truck driver visibility and makes it more challenging for the drivers to control vehicles. When there is a strong wind, fog, snow, ice, and rain, it can result in multi-car pileups and injuries.
Poor lighting
Driving trucks need clear road visibility, which gets tricky at night. When the roads, especially the highways, are not well lit, truck drivers can find it difficult to maneuver because of limited visibility. Drivers cannot notice the blind spots on the road when the road is poorly lit. It is also difficult for drivers to see narrowing roads, curves, and other oncoming motorists.
To avoid accidents caused by poor lighting, truck drivers should avoid driving at night, especially on poorly lit roads. Trucking companies should choose the best routes for their drivers and avoid roads that are not well maintained and poorly lit.
Conclusion
These are some of the most common causes of truck and car accidents on major roads and highways that you should beware of as a driver. When you are involved in a truck accident, you should contact your injury lawyer to help you get your compensations on time.
