Common Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there were 3,986 deaths as a result of crashes with large trucks in 2016. Of those deaths, 66 percent were attributed to individuals in passenger vehicles. These truck accidents are mostly caused by the large size and increased braking distance that such a vehicle requires.

Driver Fatigue Can Be an Issue

Commercial truck drivers may be required to operate their vehicles during overnight hours when a person is more likely to be drowsy. A car accident lawyer may use the time that the crash occurred as evidence that a truck driver was fatigued when a crash took place.

For instance, a car accident attorney could point to the fact that the body tends to be most drowsy between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. When a driver is tired, their reaction speed may be delayed, or it might even lead to situations where that person falls asleep behind the wheel.

Large Trucks Take Longer to Brake

If a driver, motorcyclist or pedestrian is involved in an accident with a commercial vehicle, a car accident attorney from RAM Law may review physical evidence from the scene. A car accident lawyer is likely going to look to see if the truck driver made an effort to stop or slow down. As a general rule, commercial trucks have a stopping distance of 20 to 40 percent longer than a passenger vehicle.

However, this does not excuse a commercial driver from going faster than the speed limit or faster than road conditions allow, and a certified civil trial lawyer will likely know this. In fact, a truck accident lawyer may be able to show that a commercial truck operator should have taken the extra stopping distance into account when choosing how fast to drive.

Inexperienced Drivers May Make Errors

In a personal injury case involving a commercial vehicle, a truck accident attorney may review the credentials of the driver who caused it. If an injury lawyer discovers that a driver was improperly trained, that could be used as leverage in settlement talks or in a personal injury trial. In fact, an injury lawyer may also be able to go after the driver’s employer if state and federal training guidelines were not followed.

Issues With the Truck Itself Could Cause an Accident

A truck accident attorney may ask to see maintenance records for any commercial truck that is involved in an accident. If a truck is not properly maintained, a truck accident attorney could cite this as negligence on behalf of the driver or the owner of the commercial vehicle.

Generally speaking, the vehicle should have brakes, steering and other components that are within their useful lives and are free of defects. If a truck accident lawyer finds that a commercial vehicle was not properly maintained, it could constitute negligence on behalf of the driver or owner.

Distracted Driving Might Be a Problem

Just like someone driving to work or school could be distracted by a phone or by drinking coffee while driving, commercial drivers can face the same issues. A car accident lawyer may look at driver or witness testimony to determine if distracted driving resulted in an accident taking place.

A car accident attorney could also look at a police report or cellphone records to see if a person was on a phone or otherwise not focused on the road when a collision occurred. An injury lawyer generally has the right to question both the driver and anyone else involved in the crash to further understand the events that may have left a person injured.

Poor Weather May Contribute to an Increased Crash Rate

When a certified civil trial lawyer or any other truck accident lawyer reviews a case, he or she may look into the weather conditions at the time of an accident. If a driver failed to slow down in rainy or snowy conditions, that may be negligence on that person’s behalf. In some cases, drivers might need to stay off the road completely if they don’t have proper equipment such as chains or snow tires.

Those who have been injured in a truck accident may benefit from contacting a certified civil trial lawyer from RAM Law. You can reach RAM Law by calling the New Brunswick, NJ, office at (732) 247-3600. You can also contact our Somerville, NJ, office at (908) 448-2560.