Driving under the influence, unqualified drivers, fatigue, over speeding and reckless driving are the common causes of truck accidents, deaths, and injuries. According to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle (FHSMV) reports, there were about 32,000 truck accidents in 2017 in Florida. In Lutz and surrounding areas in Florida, truck traffic increases rapidly, putting drivers at risk of collision.
If you have been injured or are a victim of a Lutz truck collision, your best bet is to seek legal help from Lutz, Florida trucking accident attorneys. Working with a professional and experienced attorney makes it easier to claim fair compensation.
Continue reading to learn about the most common reasons for truck collisions and safety tips.
Common Truck Collision Causes
Here are six main reasons for truck collisions.
Driving Under The influence (DUI)
DUI is when a driver drives while intoxicated with substances like alcohol. Most DUI cases involve alcohol, stimulants, prescription medication, and drugs. Truck drivers under the influence are most likely to cause collisions because their clarity and reaction times are greatly reduced.
Despite there being numerous laws regulating drug and substance abuse, there are still many DUI cases reported every day. Research shows that at least 13% of truck drivers use alcohol, while some use amphetamines.
The worst thing is that many trucking companies have no way of testing their drivers for substance abuse when hiring. Besides, some drivers still pass the drug screening even if they use drugs.
Fatigue
Sleep deprivation and fatigue are common reasons for truck collisions. Unfortunately, most truckers are scheduled to hundreds or thousands of miles-long routes. Such distances can wear even road gurus who have years of experience.
While there are several laws and regulations on how long a truck driver should drive, most truckers exceed the maximum set limit. Driving for long hours can cause the driver to be exhausted, which is a common reason for truck collisions.
Truck drivers should adhere to the laws regulating their number of working hours to avoid trucking accidents. In most cases, truckers are required to have eleven free hours of rest after ten consecutive hours of work.
Recklessness and Over Speeding
Recklessness is a major cause of accidents. Recklessness involves dangerous road behavior like overspeeding, aggressive driving, and improper merging. Operating a large commercial trucker may be extremely risky since accidents involving such cars are more severe.
Besides, most drivers are supposed to drive thousands of miles away, and most overspeed because they have strict timelines. Unfortunately, truckers exceeding the speed limit puts others at risk of accidents.
Additionally, driving the trucks very close to other cars or unsafe lane changing denies the truck drivers a chance to stop immediately in case of an emergency. Similarly, overspeeding potentially increases the chances of a vehicle rolling over, especially with large commercial trucks, which are much bigger and heavier than common cars.
Driving Distractions
Spending hours behind the wheel of a multi-wheeler can be monotonous and boring. Besides, truck drivers naturally spend more time driving than common drivers; thus, their likelihood of multi-tasking to pass the time is much higher.
The temptation to multi-task is even greater when driving through remote areas without traffic congestion. Truckers may want to text, place calls or even surf the Internet. Such acts will reduce their focus on the road, which can lead to collisions.
Taking your eyes off the road can lead to a hazardous accident. Whether setting a GPS or taking a call, any distraction that takes the driver’s focus off the road can lead to fatal collisions.
Texting while driving is prohibited for commercial truckers in Florida. Nevertheless, some truck drivers do it while on duty, even with strict regulations and laws. The risk of a collision is higher while the driver is texting and fatigued.
Poor Road Conditions
Operating a truck weighing thousands of pounds on a narrow, sharp curved road can be disastrous to even the most seasoned driver. The conditions may even worsen with snow, ice, rain, or fog. Over speeding on poor roads or inclement weather is a major cause of truck accidents.
Equipment Malfunctions
While most truck collisions are due to the driver, there are cases where the driver is not at fault. Truck malfunctioning is a good example of such a case. Truck malfunctioning includes failing brake systems, transmission failures, loose loads, failing steering, and tire tread defects.
Safety Tips
Sharing a road with a truck requires more care and caution than with a common car. Some of the tips to prevent truck collisions include:
- Beware of blind spots – despite safety requirements such as having a dvs progressive safe system, trucks have larger blind spots than common cars, thus posing a great visibility problem to their drivers. It is, therefore, important to stay visible.
- Be patient while driving – Unlike common cars, trucks take longer to accelerate. You should wait for the right moment to race ahead and maintain a constant speed when overtaking.
- Do not cut off a truck – moving in front of a truck immediately not only puts you in a blind spot but also takes up the much-needed space for the braking of the truck.
Conclusion
Fatigue, overs peeding and recklessness, distractions, driving under the influence, poor roads, and equipment malfunctions are the common causes of road truck collisions. Injured victims during a truck collision can claim compensation for damages.
As a Lutz, Florida, trucking accident victim, contact truck accident attorneys to determine the best legal option for your case, they will gladly help you through the entire process of seeking compensation.
This article was written by Jenny Patel.
