Let’s face it, many Texas motorists find it at least a little uncomfortable to share the roadways with 18-wheelers. Where most passenger vehicles weigh in at around 4,000 pounds, big rigs come in somewhere around 80,000 pounds. That’s a lot of weight and size coming up behind you, beside you or toward you as you drive.
One wrong move by the truck driver and you could face significant injuries and even death. Being prepared may help you avoid a crash with one of these mammoth vehicles, but the odds are that you simply won’t have the time to react. Have you ever wondered what the most common causes of truck accidents include?
Most truck accidents happen for the following reasons
Below are the most common reasons why you may find yourself suffering serious injuries in a crash involving a big rig:
- Obviously, driver error plays a big role in these crashes. Just like any other driver, they get distracted, may be fatigued or could even be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Some truck drivers also fail to take into account that other drivers make mistakes as well. They may fail to keep a safe following distance in order to account for unpredictable and sudden changes in the traffic around them.
- Following distance and speed also make a difference in bad weather. Failing to adjust for weather and road conditions may just be courting disaster.
- Keeping their vehicles well-maintained should be a priority for truckers. With the number of miles they put on them, mechanical issues can easily arise. For instance, keeping the brakes and tires in good working order could make all the difference in preventing an accident. As you can imagine, trucks of that size need good brakes in order to stop when required.
- Of course, no amount of maintenance will make a difference if the truck has one or more defective parts. Equipment failure at highway speeds could be disastrous.
- Finally, failing to load the truck properly could lead to an accident. The weight of the cargo needs to be distributed properly in order to maintain the vehicle’s center of gravity. A truck’s load must meet certain regulations in order to help ensure that the load will not improperly shift or even fall off the truck, which could cause a crash.
Unless you see the truck weaving all over the roadway or barreling toward you, predicting whether a truck could potentially crash into your vehicle remains impossible. However, knowing the common causes of truck accidents may help you when it comes to seeking compensation for your injuries in the aftermath of a collision.