What Are the Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents?
Collisions with large trucks kill hundreds of people every year, and cause injuries to tens of
thousands. In fact, during the course of a single year, there were nearly half a million large
trucks involved in collisions throughout the United States – a little more than a quarter of these
caused injury or death to those involved.
While it is easy to assume that drivers are always at fault for trucking accidents, there are numerous things that can cause truck crashes. For help getting to the bottom of the cause of your truck accident and who should be held liable for your injuries, please contact the law offices of Garmo & Garmo, Attorneys at Law, LLP for a free consultation today.
Top Causes of Trucking Accidents
- The following are some of the top causes of trucking accidents in California:
Truck driver errors. Truck driver error is one of the leading causes of trucking accidents in California. Types of truck driver errors include distracted driving, fatigued driving, impaired driving, miscalculating stopping distance, underestimating amount of room needed to make a turn, traveling too quickly, and performing illegal maneuvers, such as lane-changing without signally or failing to yield the right of way. - Passenger car errors. Drivers of passenger cars often make errors that lead to catastrophic
collisions, too. These include driving in a truck driver’s blind spots, performing illegal
maneuvers, texting while driving, following a truck too closely, cutting off a truck, trying to squeeze by on the right side of a truck making a right-hand turn, driving while intoxicated or impaired, speeding, or otherwise driving aggressively. - Loading/cargo errors. Sometimes, truck accidents are neither predictable nor stoppable for the drivers involved in said accidents. Indeed, sometimes, truck accidents are caused as a result of cargo errors, such as improper loading of cargo or improper securement of cargo. Considering the fact that cargo can weigh thousands of pounds, it is no surprise while improperly secured cargo could be dangerous; should the cargo fall or shift while the truck is in transit, the weight shift could be significant enough that the trailer actually tips, or the truck driver loses control of their vehicle.
- Trucking company errors. Cargo, drivers of passenger cars, and truck drivers are all actively involved in the occurrence of an accident, and are all found at the scene of the crash. Once party that is very physically removed– but may very much have something to do with the cause of the crash– is the trucking company. Indeed, a trucking company may be responsible for a crash when they fail to properly train drivers, push drivers to complete their routes quickly – even if that means violating hours of service limitations, or fail to properly inspect and maintain vehicles. Failure to thoroughly vet new drivers can also be dangerous, contributing to the likelihood that a crash will occur.
- Vehicle (part) manufacturer errors. Yet another party that may be to blame for a trucking accident is a vehicle manufacturer, or vehicle part manufacturer, such as the manufacturer of a large truck’s tires or brakes. When essential parts of a vehicle are defectively designed or manufactured, these parts may fail in transit, causing a crash.
Determining Fault and Holding the Responsible Party Liable for Damages
Clearly, there is not just one component that may be liable for a crash. In fact, the list above isn’t inclusive, as things like road defects or the actions of third party drivers can also cause large truck accidents. In California, you need to prove the fault of the responsible party before their insurance will pay for your injuries, which is why working with an experienced truck accident attorney is important. We not only turn to all sources of evidence available to determine and prove fault, but we also call up on vehicle design and accident reconstruction experts to assist
us in building your claim.
Contact Our Law Offices Today
If you are involved in a serious truck accident in California, please contact us today for your free consultation. It is important that you file your claim as soon as possible to ensure that you don’t breach California’s statute of limitations for truck accident claims.
Our hardworking California truck accident attorneys aren’t intimidated by the challenge of investigating a complex truck accident claim or negotiating with insurance adjusters. To schedule your free consultation, please call us at 619-441- 2500, or send us a message today.
