What Are The Main Causes Of Truck Accidents (PDF)

Large commercial trucks can often cause catastrophic accidents, especially for the person whose car crashes into them. They can come from a variety of sources, and in any type of weather.

It doesn’t matter what caused the crash, but when it involves a car full of passengers and a truck, the passengers are very vulnerable to life-threatening injuries. Trucks are much larger than cars and, as a result, can cause much more damage.

To avoid making a dangerous mistake, be aware of your surroundings and be defensive while driving. Knowing the potential causes of truck accidents will help you prepare if you see an 18-wheeler in your area.

Overtaking and Speeding

While commercial truckers are required to meet specific deadlines and travel non-stop, they face daily challenges that might make them speed. Poor weather conditions and heavy traffic often cause delays and truckers may use this opportunity to make up for lost time.

It’s not ideal, but the pressure truckers feel to meet their deadlines can reason enough for them to break speed limits. Overtaking a trucker or being overtaken by a truck at high speeds is the most common accident on our roads. The resultant vehicles veering off the road can lead to serious and fatal accidents.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is a problem for everyone, it doesn’t matter what type of road you’re on or where you are, and it happens when drivers partake in activities that take their attention away from the road.

If you’ve ever been on a long and boring road trip, you know that it can be hard to keep your focus on driving. Anything that pulls the truck driver’s attention off the road is dangerous, whether intended or not.

Wide Turns

A semi-truck makes wider turns than a car because of its length, size, and weight. These trucks also have limited turning radius which can cause blind spots when the driver turns.

 They’re restricted to their lane on the highway while they turn and have to stay alert for other cars that may be coming. If they don’t take these precautions, there could be a trucking accident on any given day.

Failing To Secure Loads

Regardless of what’s being hauled in them, semi-trucks must always be carefully packed and secured so that the weight is evenly distributed. Failure to do so can lead to a horrible truck accident–such as a rollover.

Your truck and trailer will stay safe in any driving condition thanks to the even distribution of weight. If you’re not careful, the products that you transport on a trailer could fly off and cause an accident for someone else.

Driving Under the Influence

Commercial truck drivers are held to higher standards in every state than the general public when it comes to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The reason that truck drivers are held to a higher standard is that their trucks can turn into weapons and injure or kill people if they don’t comply with the requirements. Due to the sheer size and weight of semi-trucks, it’s dangerous for truck drivers to be intoxicated while operating them.

Fatigue Driving

Driving a truck can be a tough and demanding job, which leads to many drivers falling prey to the risks of fatigue. Driving while tired means that you might make errors while on the road. You need to think about your safety and the safety of those around you. 

Some trucking companies may require their drivers to deliver goods within a certain amount of time, which can lead to them driving for long hours without enough rest. Poor sleep habits mixed with high levels of stress and pressure often lead to symptoms like slowed reaction times and less coordination-making mistakes more likely.