Texas residents probably become cautious when driving around trucks, and there is a good reason for this. In the event that a truck collides with a passenger vehicle, it’s the occupants of the latter who receive the worst of it. Unfortunately, truckers, trucking companies and truck part manufacturers contribute to many truck accidents every year. Below are five of the most common factors in these accidents.
The first and most widely spread is driver error. Truckers can drive drowsy or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. They may speed or be reckless in some other way. To be fair, though, the majority of truck collisions due to driver error, 81%, are the fault of passenger vehicle drivers. A second factor is inclement weather, which poses challenges for heavy trucks. Untrained truckers may easily skid or jackknife on rainy or snowy roads.
Next is poor truck maintenance. Truckers, at the start of every shift, must inspect their rig and fill out a vehicle maintenance report. A fourth cause of truck crashes is equipment failure, sometimes because of a defective part and sometimes because that part was improperly installed.
The last factor has to do with cargo loading. Trucks may be overloaded or underloaded; both conditions are dangerous. Alternatively, cargo may be incorrectly secured.
Those who survive a truck accident may be left dealing with head trauma, spinal injuries and more. They might be reimbursed for their medical expenses and other economic and non-economic damages if they successfully file a personal injury claim. A lawyer may be able to determine who was at fault and seek a reasonable settlement. The lawyer might hire investigators to obtain a copy of the police report and gather proof against the defendant, including evidence found at the crash site.
