Denver Auto Accident Attorney Discusses Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Because of the difference in size between a truck and a vehicle, truck accidents can be catastrophic. Unfortunately, there are far too many truck accidents that lead to devastating injuries and property damage. Why do so many accidents occur? According to Denver auto accident attorney Mark Simon, these are the most common causes of truck accidents:
Fatigue
The federal government regulates how many hours a commercial truck driver can spend on the road within a certain timeframe. These regulations were put in place to ensure that truck drivers are well rested when they are behind the wheel. However, some trucking companies and drivers do not adhere to these regulations. Fatigued drivers cannot react quickly or think clearly, so they may have trouble operating a large truck, and may end up colliding with another vehicle as a result. Learn more about truck driver fatigue.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is a serious issue that affects everyone on the roads—even truck drivers. These drivers have to spend long hours confined inside their trucks, so they may become restless and start to fiddle with the radio or use their smartphones to pass the time. Truck drivers can also become distracted by eating or looking at their GPS systems to see how many more miles they have left in their trip. But, these distractions are dangerous and could lead to a serious accident with grave consequences for everyone involved.
Inexperience
The larger the vehicle, the more difficult it can be to operate, which is why truck drivers are required to go through training prior to getting on the road. However, some trucking companies do not provide their drivers with enough training before sending them out on the road. Sometimes, trucking companies also purposely hire more inexperienced drivers because they won’t expect as high of a salary as an experienced driver. The decision to inadequately train a driver or hire a driver that is not qualified to drive a truck is not wise, and could lead to someone getting injured.
Loading Errors
Truck drivers are responsible for transporting cargo from one spot to another. The cargo is loaded on the back of their truck and expected to stay in place throughout the trip. However, if the person who loads the cargo does not do it properly, this could cause an accident. Loading errors lead to an unbalanced weight distribution on the back of the truck, which could make it difficult for the driver to control the truck once he gets on the road. He may struggle to maneuver the truck and end up colliding with another vehicle, or pieces of cargo that have not been properly secured could fall off of the truck onto another vehicle. Either way, this mistake is one of the most common causes of trucking accidents.
If you have any questions about your truck accident case, attorney Mark A. Simon can help. If you have been injured because of someone else’s negligence, call us or contact Mark A. Simon to discuss your rights during a free consultation.