As a result of their enormous size and weight, big trucks can cause severe damagewhen they are involved in accidents including various other cars on highways. In 2017,virtually 5,000 Americans were killed in vehicle mishaps as well as tens of thousandsmore were injured, according to recent information from the Federal Electric MotorProvider Safety And Security Management.
If you are like most drivers, you share the roadway with semi trucks on an almost-dailybasis, so it’s good to keep an eye out for some of the most frequent ways truck crashesare caused in order to avoid them. Listed below are a few of the most common causesof trucking accidents on highways.
Human or driver error:
Some of the mistakes truck drivers can make include anything from negligent driving(e.g., speeding), to distracted driving (e.g.,texting), to substance use and/or abuse. Onemore major contributor is driver exhaustion. While truck drivers are called to abide byHours of Service policies that determine the length of time they can be behind the wheelfor a single stretch, several still work prolonged hours and take trips that are longdistances. This results in rest deprivation and fatigue, putting them at high risk for errorsas well as crashes.
Vehicle Malfunctions
Problems with the truck itself can often cause accidents and crashes. Mechanicalfailures can happen when there is a faulty design or installment of truck components,such as when brakes fail to run effectively. Trucks must also be loaded and kepteffectively. Failing to do so can result in rollovers, jackknifing, and also various otherdangerous scenarios that place various other motorists in danger.
