Because of how big and heavy commercial trucks are, the results of an accident involving one are often catastrophic in their outcome. There are a number of different reasons as to why these types of road accidents may happen and they can occur in any weather conditions. Where a large truck collides with a smaller vehicle, it leaves the driver of that vehicle vulnerable to serious harm or, in the worst circumstances, death.
As any truck driver will tell you, driving a vehicle of that size is not an easy thing to do and takes much more effort and concentration than driving a car or a smaller vehicle. Because of this drivers are required to undertake specialist training and gain a special driving license in order to be able to drive a vehicle of that size.
When accidents involving trucks are investigated, it is often found to be the case that most of them happen as a direct result of driver negligence, such as driving too closely to another vehicle or driving too fast for the conditions.
Main cause of truck accidents
The main types of things that truck drivers are doing to cause accidents on the road include not fully obeying the rules of the road, being overly tired, being distracted whilst driving, being intoxicated through drugs or alcohol, driving too fast, lacking in experience, and not correctly judging the road conditions.
With any vehicle that is on the road, the faster that it is travelling, the longer that it takes for it to come to a complete stop. This fact is amplified even further with 18 wheeler trucks given the fact that they are so long and weigh so much – around 80,000 lbs in some instances when fully loaded up. Because of this, there is an increased chance of a truck accident not only happening but causing considerable damage too. The very smallest of distractions can result of a catastrophic collision with another vehicle.
Errors made by other vehicles
However, it is not just truck drivers who are to blame for accidents happening on the roads. Drivers of other vehicles are also often to blame also. Some of the things that they are guilty of doing include cutting up a truck, doing maneuvers that are illegal, driving whilst under the influence, driving too closely, using a cell phone whilst driving, or driving in the blind spot of a truck. A truck accident caused by blind spot can have devastating effects for the vehicle that is hit by the truck.
Unsecure cargo
Moving large loads via commercial trucks is a tricky business that requires a high level of precision and accuracy. By not loading up a truck correctly, it can lead to sudden and unexpected shifts in weight, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash it. In order to avoid such a situation from happening, it is vitally important to make sure that all content inside of the trailer is correctly and safely secured into place.