It is often surprising to learn that many trucking accidents are caused by the actions of the drivers of passenger vehicles. This is because drivers of passenger vehicles often do not understand that large trucks are not capable of performing acceleration and braking as quickly as a passenger vehicle and also that large trucks have limited visibility and maneuverability. Some of the most common unsafe things car drivers do when driving near large trucks include:
- Driving in areas behind & beside trucks where they cannot be seen by the truck driver
- Abruptly changing lanes in front of a truck
- Driving to the right of a truck that is attempting to make a right turn
- Turning left in front of an approaching truck and misjudging the speed of the truck
- Causing a truck to brake or maneuver out of the way of a car in a merge lane
- Failure to speed up or slow down allowing a truck to change lanes or merge
- Passing with insufficient headway
- Pulling into traffic in front of a truck too slowly
- Driving between large trucks
- Not getting a disabled vehicle out of the travel lane & far enough onto the shoulder
- Not allowing for the air turbulence or cross-wind that can blow a car around when passing a truck
Commercial Truck Drivers Cause Accidents Too
While these unsafe actions on the part of drivers of passenger vehicles can contribute to a large trucking accident, there are also accidents that are caused by the commercial truck driver. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has rules and regulations that all commercial drivers must follow such as the Hours of Service Rule which limits the number of hours a driver can work daily and weekly and requires a certain amount of downtime. As with all rules & regulations, however, sometimes they are ignored.
Some of the most common unsafe practices of truck drivers which cause truck accidents are due to:
- Schedules and expectations of the trucking companies that encourage speed over safety
- Systems of compensation that encourages speed & longer driving hours than advisable
- Inadequate driver training and safety knowledge
- Improper loading, overloading, failure to check their load and/or have their load safely secured
- Driver fatigue and/or drug use
- Poor or improper maintenance of the commercial truck resulting in equipment failure
- Driver error
Protect Your Rights
If you or a family member has been involved in a trucking accident that was not your fault, you should consult with a trucking accident attorney who knows what it takes to protect your interests from the big insurance companies and can help you get the compensation you need and are entitled to.
Because commercial trucks are so large and heavy, they can cause catastrophic injuries to the driver and other occupants of a passenger vehicle. You may be facing enormous medical bills, loss of income, rehabilitation costs present & future, pain & suffering, and more. Only your personal injury attorney is on your side, working for you to make sure you receive full and fair compensation for your damages.
Attorney Joel Baskin
Contact Atlanta trucking accident attorney Joel Baskin for help with your accident injury claim. Joel is an experienced, knowledgeable personal injury attorney who has been helping car accident victims for over 17 years in the Atlanta area with offices conveniently located in Cobb & Fulton counties. Call today for a free initial consultation!