Truck Accidents – Have You been a Victim of a Truck Accident

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 104,000 people were injured in crashes involving large trucks or tractor trailers in 2012 alone. As if that statistic wasn’t startling enough, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported a 4 percent increase in fatalities resulting from truck accidents from 2011 to 2012.

Unfortunately, many truck accidents in Texas are caused by negligence on the part of the driver, the trucking company, or both. Many insurance and trucking companies are aware of this fact, and will try to quickly settle cases to avoid having lawyers formally investigate a case. That’s why it is so important to have an experienced truck accident attorney on your side if you or a loved one has been injured in a truck wreck.

Listed below are some of the most common causes of truck accidents in Texas:

Speeding

Large trucks and tractor-trailers carry excess weight that affects their ability to stop in emergency situations. If a truck is moving too quickly, the driver may not be able to slow down or stop in time to avoid a serious crash.

Failure to check blind spots

Trucks are more prone to blind spots due to the length of the vehicle. Many Texas truck accidents result from drivers not properly checking their mirrors and ensuring that all cars are out of their pathway before changing lanes.

Prescription or illicit drug use, or misuse of over-the-counter medication

Drug use and misuse has become more common for some truck drivers due to their lack of regular human interaction during long hours on the road. Truck drivers also have access to over-the-counter medications such as methamphetamines that can be used to keep them awake while driving. When Texas truck drivers abuse drugs, their ability to drive is impaired and operating a large vehicle becomes a safety hazard for everyone on the road.

Truck driver fatigue

Truck driver safety regulations aim to prevent tired drivers on the road, but are not always effective. When a truck driver has not gotten enough sleep or fails to rest during breaks, they become at risk for driving tired.

Illegal maneuvers, such as failure to use turn signal

Turn signals and other warning signs help alert other drivers to make room for a truck to switch lanes or give them time to turn. If a truck or tractor-trailer makes an unexpected or illegal maneuver, other drivers on the road may not have time to react.

Aggressive driving/road rage

Truck drivers need to exercise extreme caution when operating their vehicle. With the inability to swerve or quickly come to a stop, truck drivers with road rage can cause severe accidents on Texas highways.

Distracted driving

Accidents can happen in a split second. If the driver of a tractor-trailer is distracted by a text message and looks up to find vehicles braking, a truck may not be able to stop in time without causing an accident.

Poor weather conditions

Weather can greatly affect a truck driver’s visibility on the road. If poor weather makes it difficult for a truck driver to see brake lights or cars switching lanes, they should wait until the weather clears and their windshield is unobstructed to continue safely driving their route.

Federal trucking regulations violation

Federal trucking regulations are put in place to help reduce trucking accidents by keeping drivers on task, awake, and following road rules. When drivers or trucking companies violate these rules, serious truck accidents can occur, causing injuries that should have been avoided.

Incomplete or inadequate training

Operating a truck or tractor-trailer is much different than operating a car, and requires proper training to ensure that a driver can maneuver the vehicle while maintaining safety on the road. If a driver receives inadequate training, tasks such as changing lanes, slowing down, or turning the vehicle may result in a severe truck accident.

There are many complex factors involved in trucking accidents, including insurance battles, lost wages, medical bills, and psychological damage. The Macon truck wreck attorneys at usunderstand the toll that trucking accidents can take on their victims. While we understand that it is impossible to completely erase the damage of a trucking accident, it is possible to attain compensation and justice for negligence.

If you would like to talk to our Macon, Texas, law firm about a trucking accident case, call us or fill out our online contact form.