Because of their sheer size,tractor trailer trucks can be the deadliest vehicles on American highways. Whether you call them semis, 18-wheelers, or big rigs, these large trucks, you do not want to be involved in an accident with one of these behemoth commercial vehicles.
According to the most recent Motor Carrier Safety Report published by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), preliminary data shows that there were 111,784 traffic accidents involving large trucks in 2012. These accidents led to 3,858 fatalities and 61,153 injuries. The FMCSA reports that the total cost of commercial motor vehicle accidents involving large trucks or buses in 2011 was $87 billion:
We know that a collision with a semi truck can lead to catastrophic injury or death, but what are the most common causes of such accidents?
Driver fatigue is a common problem of truck drivers who spend long hours behind the wheel in an attempt to meet prompt delivery schedules. The federal government stipulates Hours of Service in an attempt to minimize driver fatigue and reduce fatigue-related accidents. However, if an employer sets a deadline that is difficult or impossible to meet within the specified Hours of Service, a trucker may manipulate log books and drive long beyond the appropriate number of hours. Fatigued driving can lead to a number of problems: falling asleep at the wheel, slow reaction time, "zoning out" and keeping one's attention on the roadway, or turning to stimulants in an effort to stay awake.
These stimulants also cause problems, as drivers taking speed or other drugs may quickly become impaired to such a degree that it diminishes their ability to drive safely. A trucker driving under the influence can have disastrous consequences for any sharing the road with a rig piloted by the impaired or intoxicated truck driver.
Other common causes of accidents involving large trucks include speeding, aggressive driving, unbalanced load, load in excess of weight limit, equipment malfunction, passenger car driving in the truck's blind spot, and distracted driving including eating, cell phone use and texting, and looking at or adjusting navigation devices.
In the event of a trucking accident, an injured person may be able to obtain financial compensation for his or her injuries, and the family of someone killed in a fatal truck accident may be able to recover a financial damage award for its losses. Liable parties in an 18-wheeler accident may include not only the driver, but also the trucking company, a maintenance company, the truck manufacturer, and others. For anyone suffering as a result of a trucking accident, hiring a personal injury lawyer is important to determine all potential sources of liability in order to win the maximum settlement or judgment possible.
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