There are many reasons that the large, load carrying trucks may be involved in a serious accident. The simple fact that they are so large and heavy, automatically means that tractor trailer accidents will be more serious than the traditional car crash. Understanding what commonly causes the trucks to collide can, however, help a St. Petersburg resident to avoid a deadly crash.
1. Bad Brakes Even the average driver of a small passenger car knows that bad breaks are a big concern on the road. The inability to come to a quick stop means that collision is inevitable when faced with an unexpected obstacle. Tractor trailer brakes can overheat, wear down, or become mucky making them far less reliable. When traveling up and down hills with a truck that weighs tens of thousands of pounds with bad brakes is simply crazy and it all comes down to inadequate care. Regular maintenance can ensure that this problem doesn’t occur, thereby avoiding potentially fatal accidents.
NOTE: As the driver of a passenger car, truck, or van, it is wise to avoid driving in front of tractor trailers while traveling down declines. Even the best brakes cannot make such a large vehicle stop quickly on a steep bank.
2. Areas of Congestion Studies suggest that growing populations and increasing travel are making congestion a bigger problem throughout the United States’ urban areas. Even Saint Petersburg residents have experienced standstill traffic. Yet, AAA has found that the more vehicles there are in a given area, the less likely accidents are to occur. The issue arises when these large, very heavy vehicle suddenly, and unexpectedly come upon slowed or stopped traffic. Avoiding accidents of this type requires reduced traveling speeds, full attention on the road, and slowing around blind corners.
3. Drug Use Whether prescription, over the counter, or illegal, drug use can alter the mind’s ability to properly comprehend the potential dangers on the road.
4. Driving too fast Speeding is one of the most common contributing factors of traffic crashes. The percentage of all crashes that were speeding-related varied considerably among the States, up to about 20 percent of all crashes.
5. Damaged Roads Hardly the fault of the truck driver, bad road conditions can certainly be a big factor in any type of auto accident, however, drivers can reduce the risk by recognizing the poor conditions and driving with increased caution. A personal injury attorney can assist in these situations, by holding the proper authorities responsible for failing to maintain proper road surfaces.
6. Failing to Abide By Regulations There are several industry regulations in place to ensure that the truckers on the road are safe, as well as others riding alongside. Among other things, these stipulations refer to the number of hours that a driver can be on the road and the weight of the load being towed. Ignoring these regulations can lead to serious problems. A truck that is too heavy is much harder, if not impossible to stop, on a downhill strip of road. A driver who is too tired is hindered.
7. Fatigue As mentioned above, the working hours of truckers are limited, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t get tired. When one considered that most fatigue-related accidents involve people working odd hours and driving at high-speeds for long stretched, it is easy to understand why this problem plagues the trucking industry.
If you are involved in a trucking accident, speak to an attorney about your rights. You may be able to collect compensation to cover the associated expenses.