Blind Spot, Fatigue, and Speeding: Leading Causes of Serious Truck Accidents in the U.S.

In truck accident cases, especially those involving large commercial trucking companies, defendants often have experienced attorneys representing them from the very start. Insurance companies routinely deploy lawyers to the crash scene for one main reason: to control the damage and limit liability. If you or a loved one has been involved in a collision with a commercial motor vehicle, it is critical to hire a skilled truck accident attorney immediately. Early legal representation is essential to preserve vital evidence, navigate complex insurance claims, and protect your legal rights and best interests.

Accidents involving semi-trucks are among the most devastating on the road. Due to the massive size, weight, and speed of these commercial vehicles, truck crashes frequently cause catastrophic injuries and extensive property damage. 

The immense force generated by out-of-control trucks often impacts multiple smaller vehicles, making these collisions far more severe than typical car accidents. An experienced attorney can help victims pursue fair compensation for serious injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages resulting from a truck accident.

Light trucks can be just as deadly.  A total of 20,566 fatal car accidents involved light trucks in 2020, including 8,779 involving light pickup trucks. By contrast, semi trucks and other large trucks were involved in 4,482 fatal car accidents during the same year. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/car-accident-statistics/#sources_section 

Accidents involving 18-wheelers and commercial motor vehicles often lead to catastrophic personal injuries due to the massive size and limited maneuverability of these trucks. Unlike passenger cars, commercial trucks require significantly more distance to stop and are less capable of quick turns or evasive actions on the road.

Common causes of truck accidents include:

• Trucking Regulation Violations

• Fatigued Driving: The National Transportation Safety Board reports that driver fatigue contributes to nearly 40% of all truck accidents. Truck drivers are frequently pressured to drive long hours, violating FMCSA regulations on rest breaks and driving limits.

• Distracted Driving: According to the FMCSA, truckers texting while driving are 23 times more likely to cause serious crashes. Violators face heavy fines and risk losing their commercial driving licenses.

• Speeding: Studies show 16% of fatal trucking accidents involve drivers with prior speeding convictions.

• Inadequate Driver Training: Trucking companies must ensure drivers are licensed and properly trained. Failure to do so increases the risk of accidents and liability.

• Unsafe Practices in Hazardous Conditions

Other critical factors include:

• Malfunctioning Equipment: Some companies neglect proper truck maintenance to save costs, resulting in brake failures, worn tires, and unsafe vehicles on the road.

• Unsecured Cargo: Improperly loaded or unbalanced cargo can cause trucks to lose control, jackknife, rollover, or spill loads, all of which are preventable accidents.

• Trucking Defects: Defective parts such as tires or brakes can lead to blowouts, fires, or explosions.

• Driving Under the Influence: Impaired truck drivers pose severe dangers on highways.

• Overloaded Trucks: Excess cargo weight affects truck stability, increasing rollover risks and hazards from falling debris.

• Wide Turn Accidents: Trucks making unsafe wide turns can endanger nearby vehicles, especially those in the driver's blind spots.

• If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident caused by any of these factors, it is vital to consult an experienced truck accident attorney promptly to protect your rights and pursue the compensation you deserve.

• Blind Spot Truck Accidents  - A report which was issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in March of 2019 indicated that leading up to 2015, more than 500,000 accidents resulted from a blind spot issue. These crashes resulted in more than 188,000 injuries and more than 500 fatalities.

       https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812653 

If you were hurt in a big rig crash that you did not cause, we can help.