Common Causes of Truck Accidents

Truck Driver Fatigue – A large number of accidents took place due to the truck driver’s tiredness. Federal regulations restrict the number of hours a driver can drive consecutively to 11 hours. Drivers must take a rest break of at least 10 hours after a long shift. This is meant to help prevent driver fatigue.

However, a number of drivers push themselves to the limit when making deliveries. Drivers sometimes do 14 to 16 hour shifts. Some drivers fall asleep on the steering wheel while driving which leads to an accident.

Distracted Truck Drivers – Driving for ten hours each day on the same route can be a boring task. Since truck drivers spend long hours on the road in remote locations, they start multitasking sometimes and lose concentration.

Trucks are pretty big and heavy. It takes time to bring them to a stop in case of a mishap. Even if there is less traffic on the road, drivers need to be focused.

For a number of truck accidents, drivers were found to be operating mobile devices. They were talking, texting, watching videos or even playing games while driving which led to the accident.

Poor Truck Maintenance – Trucking companies are responsible for truck maintenance and need to ensure that everything is in proper working order. Many businesses cut corners and delay mandatory checks in order to reduce expenses and keep the trucks running. This leads to component malfunctions like brake or engine failures leading to an accident.

Overloaded Cargo – Trucks have a cargo limit both in terms of weight and volume. A truck that is overloaded with freight becomes difficult to drive and increases the chance of an accident.

The chance of an accident also increases if the freight is not balanced and evenly distributed across the truck, or if it is not securely fastened to the truck.

Speeding and Reckless Driving – Drivers are required to follow speed limits to ensure that the large vehicle remains under their control. A number of truckers drive fast and go over the speed limit putting themselves and others in danger.

Reckless driving is another cause of many truck accidents. Once a loaded truck goes over a certain speed, it can be difficult to stop due to momentum. When brakes are operated at high speeds, the truck can also jackknife causing an accident.

Weather Conditions – Unclear weather conditions also cause a number of truck accidents. Particularly foggy weather limits the visibility for drivers leading to trucks ramming into another vehicles. During a shower, rains cause the roads to become slippery which also increases the number of accidents.

Poor weather can cause a trucker to lose control on the vehicle if they are not properly trained to drive in adverse weather conditions. Icy roads are particularly tricky to maneuver due to the heavy weight of the truck and slower stopping speed of the vehicle. Many accidents are caused due to wet weather conditions because truckers don’t know the proper braking techniques to avoid skidding or jackknifing.

Road Conditions – Hazards and blocked roadways also increase the possibility of accidents. When there is road construction going on, the lanes can become narrower and drivers may find it difficult to drive on one of the lanes. Some drivers try to maneuver around potholes and roadblocks but end up causing the truck to roll over and cause an accident.

Inexperienced Drivers – There is a high demand for big rig drivers. A lot of newcomers join the profession every year and start driving within months before they have even become familiar with the routes and safety regulations. Any person who is driving on an unknown road will find it difficult to drive and panic easily under pressure.

A number of truck accidents involved drivers who did not even have their commercial driving licenses. Inexperienced drivers with little to no training are a common cause of truck accidents.