A fully loaded 18-wheeler can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. In comparison, the average passenger car weighs around 3,000 pounds. Therefore, when a collision between the two occurs, the results are typically catastrophic. Passenger vehicle occupants often sustain serious and life-threatening injuries, completely altering the course of their lives.
Despite increased awareness and improved safety regulations, trucking accidents are on the rise. Understanding the causes of trucking accidents can hopefully prevent them from occurring in the future. It could also help you win your injury case if another driver is responsible for your trucking accident.
Here is a list of the most common causes of 18-wheeler accidents in Dallas and across the state of Texas.
Fatigued Truck Drivers
Truck driver fatigue is a serious issue that often leads to fatal accidents. Federal regulations limit the number of hours a truck driver can spend on the road. If a truck driver works long hours and fails to get sufficient sleep, then he or she is capable of making catastrophic mistakes behind the wheel.
Distracted Driving
Everyone knows that talking, texting and surfing the web are dangerous when driving a car. However, when driving a fully-loaded 18-wheeler, distracted driving can be especially hazardous. Truck drivers have a responsibility to keep their eyes, hands and mind on the task of driving at all times.
Reckless Driving
Truck drivers are often paid based on the quickness of their deliveries. To improve their delivery times, some truck drivers engage in risky and reckless driving, including speeding, changing lanes too often, following other cars too closely or driving erratically in poor weather conditions.
Driving While Impaired
It is illegal for anyone to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and truck drivers are no exception. Unfortunately, many truck drivers abuse over-the-counter drugs, prescription medications and/or alcohol when driving. Truck drivers who drive impaired are significantly more likely to cause serious and catastrophic accidents.
Trucking Company Negligence
Trucking companies have a responsibility to keep their trucks properly maintained. When they fail to do so, a truck or trucking component could breakdown and cause an accident. Worn tires, faulty brakes and improperly serviced vehicles cause numerous 18-wheeler accidents each year.
Poor Weather Conditions
Driving an 18-wheeler is more difficult than driving your standard automobile. However, snow, ice, sleet and rain make driving an 18-wheeler even more difficult. Poor weather can reduce visibility, making it harder for large semi-trucks to make sudden stops. Heavy winds can even cause a truck to jackknife on the road. Truck drivers have a responsibility to lower their speed and drive cautiously when poor weather strikes.
Improperly Loaded Cargo
Shipping companies must safely secure cargo when loading them into a large commercial truck. If they fail to do so, then the contents inside the truck could shift, forcing the truck driver to lose control.
Our Dallas 18-Wheeler Truck Accident Attorney Offers a Free Consultation
If you are badly hurt after an 18-wheeler truck accident in Dallas, Fort Worth or anywhere in Texas, then we can help. Our truck accident attorneys know that trucking accident victims need a law firm with the experience and resources required to go toe-to-toe with large insurance companies. We can fight for you during this traumatic time and help you recover the money you need.
Call the Law Office of Dorothy Hyde today at (214) 883-1700 or fill out our confidential contact form for more information. We offer free initial consultations so you can begin exploring your legal options.