Every day vehicles have accidents on U.S. roads and highways. From minor fender-benders to serious pileups, collisions can be difficult to avoid. Among the most serious types of accidents are those involving tractor-trailers. Due to the mass and weight of a tractor-trailer, even the most seemingly minor collision can cause catastrophic injury and property damage.
Although trucking companies work hard to ensure excellent safety standards, they cannot fully prevent accidents from occurring. In fact, the majority of these accidents are caused by their own drivers’ errors. Truck drivers are 10 times more likely to cause a truck accident than any other factor, including weather, road conditions and more.
Truck drivers crash for a variety of reasons. The most common reason relates to the use of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Intoxication is the number one cause of driver-caused truck accidents and accounts for 42 percent of these collisions.
The second most common mistake that drivers make is speeding. In any vehicle, speeding can spell trouble. When it comes to a large vehicle that is difficult to slow or maneuver, the problems are tenfold. In 23 percent of driver-related truck accidents, speed is to blame for the collision.
Truck drivers log long hours on the road. These trips involve hauling long distances on monotonous highways. It is natural for drivers to grow fatigued on these trips and, sadly, this can sometimes lead to accidents. This is so because fatigue causes a driver’s reaction times to be slowed and motor skills compromised. Approximately18 percent of driver-related collisions are due to driver fatigue.
If you have been injured in a serious truck accident, you may be able to file a personal injury claim. Speak with a skilled truck accident attorney at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez, Murphy & Walsh in Florida.