Nothing is more devastating to a family than an accident that leaves one or more members dealing with serious injuries. The most fatal accidents plaguing roadways often involve semi-trucks.
Large trucks and buses have the size and volume to do the greatest damage to passenger cars. According to 2020 NHTSA data, semi-truck crashes accounted for approximately 150,000 injuries and 5,000 fatalities. Over 70% of the injuries and deaths reported happened to passenger vehicle occupants. Some of the most frequent conclusions reached in truck accidents involved the following causes.
What is truck driver negligence?
Truck drivers are not always to blame when their rigs wind up in crashes, but many of these crashes hinge on their negligence. Truckers who push themselves too far to meet deadlines may prove too fatigued to make quick corrections while driving. Distracted driving and impaired driving continue to remain issues for truckers as well as passenger vehicle drivers.
What are common mechanical failures?
Maintaining roadworthy conditions for semi-trucks ensures mechanical failures do not crop up on the road. However, there are instances where companies do not perform the regular maintenance necessary, and elements of the truck fail at critical times. Brake and tire failures may send a truck careening without warning.
What effect do road conditions have?
Weather and road conditions can impact how a driver controls the truck. Between inclines and ice, navigating roadways may prove unsafe and become a critical factor in truck-involved crashes. The grade of the road and overall condition may impact how a trucker handles the rig.
Any crash may alter the course of a person’s life. However, when a large truck is one of the involved vehicles, it may prove fatal at a higher rate.