Reasons For Truck Accidents
We have truck drivers to thank for providing goods and services across the county. However, these massive vehicles are one of the most dangerous on the road, weighing up to 80,000 pounds. Any accident on the road can be deadly, but when an 18-wheeler is involved, catastrophic personal injury can occur. Driver fatigue is often blamed for accidents involving trucks, but overworking is not always the cause of a truck accident.
What Are Truck Driver Labor Laws?
In the United States, truck drivers must keep a 24-hour logbook while on duty. Commercial motor drivers can only work 11 cumulative hours within a 14 hour period. Drivers are then required to rest for a minimum of ten hours. A recent mandate has made electronic onboard recorders mandatory, which record the actual driving time of a truck.
Anyone would be tired after an 11 hour work day, but there are a list of other factors that could contribute to a truck accident.
Poor Maintenance: Commercial trucks, which typically drive hundreds of miles each day, experience more wear and tear than the average vehicle. It is the responsibility of the truck operator and company to put safe trucks on the road. A truck with overlooked failing brake pads can impact many lives on a busy highway. Regular maintenance checks can save lives.
Cargo Mistakes: There are rules and regulations when it comes to loading the bed of a truck. Depending on the industry, there are size and weight limits to the cargo carried by a commercial truck. Making sure that the materials being transported are safely secured is also an important variable. Disrupted cargo can cause an accident, but it can also make an accident with a commercial truck worse, even if it was not the primary cause of the crash.
Bad Weather: A reckless or inexperienced truck driver can be dangerous in poor weather conditions. Snow and rain can limit visibility, and make roads slick and slippery. It takes longer for a commercial truck to come to a full stop than a car in normal conditions, and bad weather can cause hydroplaning or skidding in combination with less driver skill or diligence.
Contact a Kane County Truck Accident Attorney
Out of the 475,000 reported accidents involving a truck in 2016, twenty-two percent resulted in an injury. If you were in an accident involving a truck and have experienced pain and suffering due to the negligence of the driver or company, contact an experienced Aurora, Illinois personal injury attorney. Call 630-907-0909 to schedule a free consultation.
Sources:
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/data-and-statistics/large-truck-and-bus-crash-facts-2016
https://gtgtechnologygroup.com/five-most-common-causes-of-trucking-accidents/
