How Do Most Truck Accidents Happen?
Suffering injuries from a devastating accident involving a large truck can result in long-term consequences. Victims of such accidents often have to endure a long recovery period. They may have sustained injuries such as broken bones, sprains, and damage to their organs. There are many ways that innocent victims can get into an accident where trucks are involved. As you can learn from a trusted lawyer who is knowledgeable about Florida truck accident laws near you, such as one from Truck Law, accidents can happen for a variety of reasons.
Speeding
Many drivers disregard the posted speed limits because they want to get to their destination a lot faster. When truck drivers do this, it endangers everyone around them and they can cause a particularly dangerous accident. When drivers speed while operating a truck, the truck becomes much more difficult to control. Commercial trucks specifically are incredibly difficult to operate, especially around tight turns. It is also much harder to stop a truck once it is speeding out of control.
Impaired Driving
Often among truck drivers, impairment due to drugs or alcohol is a frequent occurrence. Unfortunately, because of factors such as the pressure to get to their destination on time and long hours of driving, many drivers consume alcohol as a way to stay awake and not fall asleep. However, this only makes the chances of an accident increase only more.
Falling Asleep
When drivers fall asleep on the road, a sudden accident can occur. Drivers who do not get enough rest get easily fatigued because they do not have the energy to safely operate the truck. Even brief amounts of sleep, known as microsleep, can result in a devastating accident that results in many casualties.
Lack of Driving Experience
Operating a truck requires a great deal of driving experience, skill, and responsibility. For newer drivers who do not have much experience, operating a large truck can be intimidating and stressful. Some trucking accidents happen because the driver does not have much experience or panics when there is a sudden issue, such as poor weather or when brakes fail.
Not Addressing Maintenance Issues
It is critical that trucks receive frequent and routine maintenance inspections. This is necessary to catch problems with the truck before they can cause an accident. Cracks, leaks, mechanical defects and other issues can easily go unnoticed. A carrier can be held liable if an accident occurs because they failed to have a truck go through an authorized inspection.
Overloaded Cargo
Trucks may be large and can carry enormous amounts of materials, but they have a limit. The strict weight limit that trucks have should never be ignored because it can lead to an accident occurring. Shipping companies and other third parties can be prosecuted if there is evidence that they have loaded a truck beyond its weight limit.
If you have been in a truck accident, you can turn to a lawyer so that they can help you prepare the strongest possible claim. Learn more information about filing an accident claim by requesting a case assessment right away.