There are half a million accidents on the roads involving a truck or large vehicle every year. Sadly, many of these accidents result in fatalities.
Due to the size and weight of trucks being much higher than the average car, truck drivers are much more likely to get seriously injured if they’re in a collision. Trucks are also more likely to cause damage to buildings and other vehicles in an accident, even with safety features like specialized sensors or external security cameras.
No matter what type of vehicle you drive or how safe a driver you are, it’s important to be aware of the most common causes of truck-related road traffic accidents. Even if you drive a tiny two-seater car, you’re at risk of colliding with a truck while driving.
Contacting A Lawyer After An Accident
If you find yourself in an accident with a truck on the road, speak with a commercial truck accident lawyer. They will help you file a claim against the truck driver if the accident was their fault. You could get compensation for your injuries and damages.
Common Causes Of Truck Accidents On the Roads
Here are three of the main causes of road traffic accidents involving trucks.
1. Driving While Distracted
Because trucks are so much larger and heavier than cars, they take much longer to slow down and come to a stop.
Truck drivers, therefore, need more time to react to hazards and avoid accidents. Driving while distracted limits concentration slows down reaction times, and increases the risk of collisions and fatalities.
It’s illegal to drive while on your mobile phone but that doesn’t stop many truck drivers from texting while behind the wheel and this is one of the main causes of injuries and fatalities on the roads.
It’s not just smartphones that are the problem though. Loud music or noisy passengers can also be distracting. Even daydreaming can take a driver’s focus away from the roads, increasing the risk of road traffic accidents.
2. Driving While Tired
Every truck driver is advised to take a short break if they start to feel fatigued while driving. However, truck drivers are notorious for working long hours and skipping their breaks to get their deliveries done more quickly.
When driving for several hours without taking a breather, truck drivers can begin to get drowsy and fatigued. Many of their shifts are overnight too, which exacerbates the issue of driver fatigue.
Driving any sort of vehicle while fatigued is dangerous. You might find that you can’t concentrate as well as usual or that you start to fall asleep behind the wheel. As a result, you’re not able to respond to hazards and you’re at risk of road traffic accidents.
3. Lack Of Adequate Training
Truck drivers need to have a commercial driver’s license that proves their abilities to drive large, heavy vehicles. If an individual is allowed to drive a large truck without having gone through extensive testing and training protocols, they are more at risk of making an error and causing an accident on the roads.
