3 factors that can lead to semi truck accidents

Semi truck drivers have to be safe as they transport their loads from one location to another. The safety of themselves and others on the roads depend on this. Unfortunately, semi truck accidents with passenger vehicles do occur. When these occur, injuries or death are likely.

People who are involved in an accident with a semi truck might opt to seek compensation for those injuries. One of the factors that matters in these cases is what caused the semi truck to crash. These three factors are common in semi truck accidents.

The first is driver error. This factor encompasses a variety of circumstances, including speeding, texting while driving, drunk driving, distracted driving, fatigued driving and failing to obey traffic laws. All of these factors could have been prevented if the trucker would have opted to drive in a safe manner.

Another factor is trucking company policies. We live in an age in which instant gratification is desired. When it comes to the trucking industry, this desire to get everything now puts the pressure on the companies to deliver the goods as quickly as possible to the final destination. This means that the truckers are under a lot of pressure to meet deadlines. These truckers could drive too many hours per shift or take other shortcuts to try to make the deadlines.

The third factor is mechanical fault. This could mean that a component on the truck is defective, was installed incorrectly or wasn’t maintained properly. For example, a faulty hitch could mean that the trailer comes loose while the truck is in motion. This could cause a devastating accident since nobody will able to control the free moving trailer.

Source: Stop Unsafe Trucks, “Common Causes of Truck Accidents,” accessed Dec. 23, 2016