Common Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents

Accidents involving commercial trucks are often serious and sometimes fatal simply because of the size and weight of these vehicles. Dump trucks, garbage trucks, big rigs and tractor-trailers are all examples of commercial vehicles or big rigs that have the potential to cause major injury accidents. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, commercial trucks account for about 370,000 accidents on the roads each year. About 77,000 of those result in injury and another 5,000 result in death.
New York has a very high number of commercial trucks on its streets. Semis are often traveling back and forth between ports delivering goods while box trucks can be found in some of the states’ most congested areas, such as Manhattan. Drivers should always be careful around these larger vehicles. Big trucks have large blind spots and an inability to stop or maneuver quickly, which can be very dangerous for other motorists.
An accident with a commercial truck can happen due to a variety of reasons. Driving drowsy is a common cause of truck accidents. Truckers often drive long hours, many times through the night. If a trucker doesn’t stop and get sufficient rest, he or she may fall asleep behind the wheel. Speeding and reckless driving can cause an accident. While driving a heavy truck, it is more difficult to maintain control or to suddenly slow down the truck if needed. Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol can also be a factor in these types of collisions.
There may be other factors as well. Some trucking companies do not maintain their vehicles properly. This could result in mechanical issues such as brake failure. The brakes on a big rig may also fail when the trailer is overloaded. When a trailer is unevenly or improperly loaded, load shifting can cause a truck to jackknife. In most truck accident cases that involve negligence, both the truck driver and the trucking company can be held liable for the injuries, damages and losses caused.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a traffic accident, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please call our offices at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
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