Why Big Trucks Have Accidents
Driving long distances is hypnotic. Drivers are trapped in their vehicle with nothing to do but drive and before long the music will begin to pall as entertainment. There’s the cell phone to use but the driver needs both hands for that big steering wheel. Truckers must, by law, have specific times to rest during long hauls to avoid having accidents. But what is the trucker to do when he pulls off to rest but can’t sleep? He rests but gets back on the road with no sleep and is hypnotized by the road again. Soon that will mean an accident.
Trucking Companies Truck Driving School Information nails truck drivers as the number one cause of trucking accidents. They cite fatigue and over the counter medications as the top reasons for trucking accidents. Such a simple thing as cold medication can cause a driver to have an accident. This study also listed unfamiliarity with the route, driving too fast, external distractions, aggressive driving behavior and illegal maneuvers as some of the causes of truck accidents. Proper rest and not taking drugs, either prescription or over the counter types, they say will slow the incidence of trucking accidents.
The Yost Legal Group, Baltimore, Maryland’s truck accident lawyers, describe types of trucking accidents as under-ride accidents in which a vehicle slams into the back of the trailer and gets caught underneath it, rear-end, T-Bone and head on collisions, and jack-knifing. As you can see, these kinds of accidents can be avoided if the driver slows down, maintains awareness of his surroundings and creeps through a hairpin turn so he doesn’t roll his truck.
Some examples of causes for trucking accidents include load shifting. A truck will roll if its load shifts due to excessive speeds or taking a turn a little too fast. Defective equipment on the truck or trailer will also cause an accident. There are many systems working together to run a truck and trailer and if one of them malfunctions, disaster can happen. Driver awareness and quick response in this instance can deflect trouble later on. Also, not all truck drivers are maniacs. Small vehicle drivers frequently cut off truck drivers, not understanding the dynamics of slowing down something that big to avoid an accident. On the other hand, there are new drivers fresh out of training as well who don’t understand those dynamics just yet and could cause an accident.
Enough rest and good quality sleep is so vital to a truck driver’s performance and safety that it should have even tighter regulation than it does presently. Quality control checks on his truck and slower driving will save many lives. It isn’t about legality; it’s about safe driving.
This article attempts to provide a factual take on the issue, and is not legal advice.
If you have been involved in a truck accident, contact Attorney Elan Wurtzel of NYC today.
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