No one wants to be involved in an accident, but you do not want to be involved in one with an eighteen-wheeler. Trucking accidents often cause more damage, injuries, and even deaths due to the sheer size and weight of the truck. Unfortunately, many factors cause these types of accidents. Here are a few.
Driver Fatigue
The pressure of ensuring that freight gets from one point to another often causes truck drivers to drive long hours. These extended work hours, combined with a lack of sleep and other non-work related activities, quickly cause driver fatigue.
Studies show that approximately 13% of commercial drivers met the definition of fatigue at the time of their accident. Driver fatigue is one of the most common causes of truck-related accidents.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration states in regulation 6.3.1 that "drivers may not operate, nor shall a motor carrier require or permit a driver to operate, a CMV [commercial motor vehicle] if they are too tired or sick to drive safely." Unfortunately, drivers and companies do not always follow this regulation.
Drivers and carriers often ignore the rules restricting drivers to a certain number of hours the trucker may drive in an effort to make timely deliveries. Ignoring these rules often places fatigued drivers on the road who fall asleep at the wheel or experience reduced reaction time.
Blind Spot Errors
Large commercial vehicles have numerous blind spots all around their vehicle. Some of these blind spots are much larger than other vehicles on the road. These blind spots mean that truck drivers often cannot see a car or smaller truck directly in front of them or on either side of them simply using their mirrors.
A truck driver must move and make a physical effort to check these blind spots. Failure to do so often results in the driver sideswiping vehicles already in the lanes they are attempting to merge into. Rear-end collisions occur when the driver does not see the car in front of them or fails to stop in time. Numerous driver errors contribute to blind spot-related accidents. Some of these include:
- Distracted driving
- Inadequate training
- Improperly installed or adjusted mirrors
- Driver fatigue
If you are involved in a truck accident with an eighteen-wheeler, you must contact a truck accident attorney as quickly as possible. The attorneys know many other factors that may have caused your accident. They will review your case and get you the compensation you deserve.
Contact a service provider like Todd East Attorney at Law to learn more.
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