Common Causes of Large Truck Accidents

The number of fatal truck accidents on Connecticut roads concerns everyone in the community. This is especially true in Hartford, where many Northeast highways intersect. These semi-trucks are critical for transporting goods up and down the coast, but they also pose a serious danger to local drivers.

Semi-trucks are significantly larger than the average passenger car. Due to this, the occupants of the passenger vehicle will suffer the most trauma during an accident. Although there are more motor accidents involving passenger cars, accidents involving semi-trucks often end in fatality.

Truck drivers must complete specific training before operating a 40-ton vehicle. They must maintain vigilance when operating on the open road. However, this is often not the case. In addition, trucking companies, shipping companies, and truck manufacturers may also act negligently. This negligence can lead to serious and fatal truck accidents.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

There are many causes of truck accidents. However, five of the most common causes of truck accidents include:

1. Truck Driver Fatigue

The most common cause of truck accidents is fatigue. This is often caused by overworked drivers. Truck drivers work for long periods, and they are often on the road overnight. Lawmakers have enacted laws to help avoid driver fatigue. However, trucking companies put their drivers under intense pressure with deadlines.

Sleepiness at the wheel remains a huge problem and causes drivers to lose coordination and concentration during their route.

2. Poor Truck Maintenance

Proper truck maintenance is the key to keeping semi-trucks running safely on the road. Trucking companies must document this maintenance. However, it costs money and takes time to do this. As a result, trucking companies may not inspect their trucks as often as they should. Poor vehicle maintenance can cause serious accidents on the roadway.

3. Poor Driver Training

Truck drivers must have a specific number of training hours. It is also mandatory for them to meet certain requirements before driving alone. Unfortunately, not all trucking companies require their drivers to fulfill these guidelines. This results in truck drivers who are poorly trained and have little experience behind these 40-ton vehicles.

4. Speeding

Trucking companies want their truck drivers to reach their destinations as quickly as possible. The driver’s job is on the line if they do not meet these requirements. This pressure can cause truck drivers to surpass the speed limit. A higher speed increases the distance required for a truck to stop. Speeding in an 80,000-pound big rig increases the risk of getting into a serious and fatal truck accident.

5. Distracted Drivers

Truck drivers drive for long periods at a time and travel over long distances. The areas in which they drive are remote and repetitive. It is not uncommon for truck drivers to become bored and seek out distractions to occupy their time. As a result, they may scroll through social media, send text messages, or make phone calls while driving. These distractions result in taking their eyes off the road. As a truck driver, not paying attention to the other drivers on the road can result in a catastrophe.

Contact Our Hartford Truck Accident Lawyers

If you suffered an injury in a truck accident, contact a Hartford truck accident lawyer immediately. At Walsh Woodard LLC, our lawyers have represented many injured trucking accident victims and their families. We know that you need money fast after a serious trucking accident. That is why we work tirelessly for our injured clients. We can help you through this terrible ordeal. Call us today at 860-785-2911 or fill out our confidential contact form for more information. We offer free initial consultations so you can seek justice after a catastrophic trucking accident.