Based on statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), 4,951 fatalities resulted from large truck accidents in 2018, and 187 of those deaths occurred in Georgia. The massive weight and size of large commercial trucks typically cause severe injuries or death to innocent people involved in truck accidents.
Fortunately, truck accident victims have legal rights to pursue monetary compensation for their losses from the negligent driver and other entities that contributed to the accident. These potential entities can include the truck driver’s employer, trucking company, and the truck or truck component manufacturer, among others. But what causes these truck accidents in the first place? According to an FMCSA study, the top causes of truck accidents include:
Driver Decision Mistakes
These occur when truck drivers drive too fast for the road and weather conditions, follow other vehicles too closely, miscalculate other vehicle’s speeds, are fatigued, or make erroneous assumptions regarding other motorists’ actions and behaviors.
Mechanical Defects
Issues with the truck’s braking system, wheels, and tires are the most common culprits when it comes to defective truck components. Malfunctioning brakes are particularly hazardous since trucks need significantly longer stopping distances and have an increased risk of rolling over, putting other vehicles in harm’s way. Likewise, large trucks will require even longer stopping times if their cargo isn’t properly or evenly loaded in the trailer.
Driver Recognition Errors
These occur when drivers don’t recognize the hazardous conditions that resulted in a crash either by failing to sufficiently observe the specific situation or not paying proper attention, or because of texting while driving or other distracted driving.
Speeding
Truck accidents due to speeding commonly occur due to reckless driving and driving too fast for the road, weather, or traffic conditions, such as on slippery or wet roads or during inclement weather conditions.
Prescription Drug Use
A lot of drugs for treating pain, allergies, and cold symptoms could have a negative impact on driver performance. Among the most common ill effects of these drugs is drowsiness, which usually manifests shortly after taking the medication.
Truck Drivers Traveling in Unfamiliar Roadways
If a truck driver isn’t familiar with the roadway, chances are that they’re also not aware of upcoming sharp turns or parts of the road with possible routine congestion, which could result in accidents.
Insufficient Surveillance
This usually happens when a truck driver fails to look ahead to recognize and notice hazards or conditions on the road or when engaging in reckless driving behavior like changing lanes without warning.
Talk to a Competent Cumming Truck Accident Lawyer Today
If you have suffered serious injuries or a loved one’s life ended because of a truck accident caused by a negligent truck driver, our experienced Cumming truck accident lawyers here at Banks, Stubbs & McFarland LLP can help. The lives of the survivors of catastrophic truck accidents won’t ever be the same again, just as it is with the family members of victims who lost their lives to truck accidents. Schedule your appointment with one of our Georgia truck accident lawyers by calling 770-887-1209 or contacting us online.
