What causes a trucking accident?
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Administration, accidents involving large trucks, tractor-trailers and 18-wheelers happen for a variety of reasons, and many of them point to a driver’s negligence. This includes:
- The driver travels out of their intended lane or off the road altogether.
- The driver loses control of their vehicle due to shifting cargo or a vehicle systems failure.
- The truck driver collides with the vehicle in front of them because they were traveling too closely.
- The truck driver is traveling above the speed limit or faster than the road conditions allow.
- The truck driver falls asleep, suffers a sudden medical event like a blackout or heart attack, or are physically impaired due to fatigue or drug use.
- The driver is inattentive, distracted by something inside or outside of the vehicle.
- The driver makes poor judgement calls, regarding speed, road conditions, adequate lookout, etc.
- The driver panics, overcompensates, or fails proper judgement when a quick response is necessary.