Common Causes of Large Truck Accidents, Collisions, and Crashes

Over 75 percent of all truck accidents are caused by drivers of other cars, not by the truck drivers. This is easy to understand for a number of reasons. First, truck drivers are highly trained and experienced; they are professional drivers and know how to handle their vehicles. Second, trucks, especially large ones, have blind spots. That means if a car is in a particular spot, the truck driver may not be able to see it in time to maneuver away from it. Drivers of cars often treat trucks like cars, cutting in front of them, passing on the right, and tailgating.

Truck drivers cause accidents also, often due to fatigue. Drivers may be under strict deadlines, which they can’t meet without speeding or driving when they are too tired. Even though laws limit the number of hours commercial truck drivers are allowed to stay behind the wheel, the needs of the company may seem more important than.

Like any drivers, truck drivers may drive recklessly, have a blowout or other equipment failure, or slide on slippery roads. Unsafe driving practices that frequently result in truck accidents include aggressive driving, failure to yield right of way or to observe a safe following distance, and driving outside designated truck lanes. Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs (prescription or otherwise) also cause truck accidents.

An improperly secured load can shift in transit and cause a rollover. A load that is held in place by a tarp may wind up on the road if the tarp isn’t secured properly. A truck that is overloaded may rollover or fail to stop in time to prevent a crash.

Most of the truck accidents that result in a fatality involve a passenger car. Because of the difference in size and weight of the colliding vehicles, serious property and bodily damage are often the consequences of truck accidents.

To learn more, contact our truck accident lawyers and auto accident lawyers at our Allentown, Lancaster, Philadelphia personal injury firm.