Truck accidents
Truck accidents differ from common automobile accidents. The severity of truck accidents is very different from that of car accidents. Trailers and trucks can outweigh normal vehicles by more than ten times. It is only physics that truck accidents are more dangerous and more severe on impact. Trucks account for 12% of all fatal accidents on the road despite being only 3% of the vehicles on the road. If you are involved in a truck accident, call a lawyer for truck accidents in Lafayette to help you file for claims.
What are the most common causes of truck accidents?
- Driver Fatigue (Sleeping on the road)
- Speeding
- Excessive Cargo
Fatigue; Driving such a piece of monstrous machinery can be stressful. Most times, they have to drive long distances to get their freight delivered. It is not ideal. Even people driving automobiles complain about how stressful it can be. Now imagine how it is for someone something twenty times as heavy and traveling cross-country. The stress-induced drivers sometimes lose control of the trucks due to sleep deprivation, tiredness, and weakness.
It is common for these drivers to fall asleep while driving and lose control of the truck leading to accidents. There are stringent laws on the number of hours a truck driver should do but, companies refuse to follow these laws. They overtask their drivers, and it can lead to deadly repercussions. Fatigue can cause drivers not to pay attention to the road, reduce their speed for reaction and hamper their decision-making on the road.
Speeding; Another major cause of truck accidents is speeding. When these 18-wheelers and commercial trucks ramp up their speed, they can be difficult to halt. When truck drivers start speeding, it can be dangerous. They try to speed up to be able to get to their destinations on time to meet deadlines and also return home. The result can be dangerous. Most people get out of the way when they see speeding trucks, and rightly so. Even this self-serving move can lead to accidents. Trying to veer out of the way for a speeding truck can lead to another accident on its own.
Excessive cargo; Despite their large size, there is a limit to the amount of loads trucks can carry. If these trucks carry too much freight, some of the content can fall off, leading to dangerous occurrences on the road. Imagine a bag of grade A sand falling off a truck. Imagine the sort of damage that little bag can do to any car that collides with it and also cars trying to avoid it. Excessive cargo can lead to dangerous truck accidents.
There are several other causes of truck accidents on the roads like; a lack of maintenance (malfunctioning brakes and bad tires) and alcohol/drug use. There is also the negligence of the drivers to blame.
Get a lawyer
Truck accidents can lead to injuries, and worst-case scenario, death. If you or your loved ones are involved in a truck accident, contact a truck accident attorney to help you file your claim. A truck accident is not child’s play, you deserve compensation for what you have been through, and an experienced lawyer is your best bet for getting it.