Truck drivers are frequently pressured to make their deliveries within a specified time frame. To meet their quotas, they might drive recklessly on highways and narrow side streets. This leads to dangerous accidents that can cause serious and disabling injuries.
These accidents can be caused by a number of factors including driving while distracted, following too closely or failing to check blind spots. Learn about the most common causes and tips for truck accident victims.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions are by far the most common type of motor vehicle accidents. In fact, they account for nearly 1.7 million car crashes each year.
They can be caused by a number of things, including following too closely (tailgating), speeding, driving under the influence, driver distractions, poor weather conditions, and vehicle maintenance issues.
When a truck driver is behind the wheel, they should always be aware of their surroundings and pay attention to traffic signals. If they fail to do so, they could slam into the rear of the vehicle in front of them at high speeds.
This can cause serious injuries to the passengers of the trailing vehicle, as well as the trucker. People who are hit from behind can suffer severe head trauma, such as concussions or even traumatic brain injuries. When you have been in an accident, be sure to get out of the road as soon as possible and turn on your hazard lights so that other drivers can see you.
Head-On Collisions
Although head-on collisions represent only a small percentage of truck accidents, these wrecks are among the most severe. Injuries from these collisions can include broken bones, traumatic brain injury (TBI), disfigurement, and paralysis. These injuries can have long-term effects on a person’s ability to perform his or her job and can be expensive for victims to treat.
Head-on crashes often happen because a driver crosses over the centerline or enters a roadway from an improper location. Driving under the influence is another common cause. Drivers often become distracted by cell phones, food or other passengers in the vehicle, or by severe weather conditions that decrease visibility.
Several factors can increase the risk of a head-on crash, including aging semi trucks with faulty parts or poor maintenance, and drivers who have fallen asleep behind the wheel. It is important for truckers to follow laws that require rest and avoid fatigued driving. It is also a good idea to stay alert and not pass other vehicles unless it is safe to do so.
Intersection Collisions
Though they may seem insignificant at first, accidents that occur in intersections are among the most dangerous and fatal of all crashes. This is because drivers are often going in different directions and making errors while close to other vehicles.
Truckers can cause these kinds of accidents by failing to survey their surroundings, making false assumptions about other drivers or turning with an obstructed view. Internal or external distractions are also common at intersections and contribute to a variety of other accident types, such as head-on collisions.
Other common causes of intersection collisions are speeding, reckless driving and tailgating. These behaviors can increase the chance of a crash involving a large truck because they can reduce reaction times. Drivers should never run red lights or ignore stop signs and yield the right-of-way to other cars. Doing so is a clear violation of traffic safety laws and an example of aggressive careless driving, something that a Florida personal injury lawyer can help you prove if necessary.
Pedestrian Collisions
Pedestrians who are struck by trucks suffer severe or even fatal injuries. This is because trucks are much larger than the average vehicle, meaning the force of impact is significantly greater. Trucks also have larger blind spots, making it more difficult to see pedestrians who are crossing the road or walking in crosswalks.
Truck drivers may run pedestrians over when they are rushing to make a delivery or ignore traffic signals and signs. They can also fail to notice pedestrians who are walking on the side of the road or in a crosswalk, which is illegal.
The most common cause of pedestrian-truck collisions is driver inattention or distraction. Distracted driving can include anything that takes a driver’s eyes or mind off the road. Pedestrians are most likely to be injured or killed in accidents that occur between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., and the majority of these crashes happen on Friday and Saturday.
