When you find yourself injured in a truck accident, you’re often left to deal with a range of emotions, physical trauma, and financial uncertainty. By identifying typical causes of such incidents, you gain perspective that can help you make informed decisions about your legal rights and options. The following are some of the most common causes:
Fatigue
Truck drivers often face demanding schedules that necessitate long hours on the road. Unfortunately, these long hours can result in severe fatigue, a common contributor to truck accidents. A tired driver’s reflexes are slower, their judgment is impaired, and they are at higher risk of falling asleep behind the wheel. The consequences can be catastrophic.
Distraction and Inattention
In our modern age, the prevalence of technology has brought about new categories of distractions. For truck drivers, these distractions can be amplified due to the extended periods of time spent on the road. Activities such as texting, eating, adjusting in-cab navigation systems, or fiddling with the radio may seem innocuous but can lead to devastating accidents.
Poor Training and Inexperience
Not all drivers receive the same level of training and exposure to diverse driving conditions. Inexperienced drivers may lack the skills to make proper lane changes, adhere to accepted driving speeds, or judge stopping distances safely. These inadequacies, when combined with the weight and size of a truck, can result in serious collisions.
Drug or Alcohol Impairment
Alcohol and drugs have no place in the trucking industry, yet they remain a significant contributing factor in accidents. The effects of alcohol or illicit substances on a truck driver can be extremely dangerous due to the truck’s weight and size; even in small amounts they can impair judgment and delay reaction times.
Brake Malfunctions
Given the weight they bear, the size of the vehicles they’re attached to, and the distances they travel before stopping, the failure of brakes can be catastrophic. A failure in the brake system often results in incidents that leave behind significant wreckage and injuries.
Tire Blowouts
Tires are the only component of a truck that makes direct contact with the road. When one of these tires fails while the truck is moving at a high speed, it can lead to an uncontrolled skid, potentially causing the truck to overturn or collide with other vehicles. Regular tire maintenance is key to preventing these incidents.
Weather Conditions
Texas is no stranger to extreme weather events, from sweltering heat to icy storms. These conditions can make driving treacherous, particularly for vehicles as vulnerable as trucks. Rain, fog, ice, and even the dust storms can greatly reduce visibility and traction.
Speeding
Trucks that travel above the speed limit are extremely dangerous. Due to their mass, they require significantly more distance to stop. A speeding truck can turn what would have been a fender bender with a car into a potentially fatal accident.
Disregarding Traffic Signals
Red lights and stop signs are not suggestions, they are the law. When drivers decide to flout these traffic signals, they put themselves, their cargo, and all other road users at considerable risk.
Illegal Maneuvers
Changing lanes without signaling, undertaking, and engaging in aggressive driving tactics such as tailgating, can lead to accidents. Trucks engaging in such maneuvers are particularly hazardous given their size and the difficulty in maneuvering and stopping.
Scheduling Pressures
While there are strict regulations on the maximum number of hours a truck driver can operate without taking a break, these are sometimes ignored due to corporate demands. Companies may sometimes impose schedules that are too demanding, leading to driver fatigue and unsafe working conditions.
Improper Loading
The way cargo is loaded can also be a determinant in the occurrence of accidents. An unbalanced load, cargo that is too heavy, or inaccurately loaded trucks can affect stability and control. These practices are preventable, and companies are responsible for ensuring proper loading protocols are followed.
If you’ve been involved in an accident in Texas, it is in your best interest to reach out to a Baytown truck accident attorney who specializes in these complex cases. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.