Georgia is the home to many semi-truck crashes resulting in thousands of injuries every year, many of which involve truck driver negligence or trucking company negligence.
Some of the major factors that cause the vast majority of truck-involved accidents include:
Driver Fatigue: Driver Fatigue can happen for a variety of reasons. Even though there are a wide range of strict laws regarding the periods of time a truck driver can be on the road and hours of service, driver fatigue is one of the top reasons for truck accidents. Commercial truck drivers are under extreme pressure to meet deadlines and company incentives for some miles driven, which in turn leads to distracted driving, fatigued driving, impaired driving, aggressive driving, and ignoring traffic laws and road signs to meet deadlines. Because of this, there are overtired truck drivers who are not on alert to avoid collisions.
Adverse Weather Conditions: Environmental factors play a role as well. Poor road conditions and poor weather conditions are a common factor in many motor vehicle crashes. Commercial truck drivers typically have a harder time stopping than drivers of passenger vehicles due to their size and weight. Larger trucks have an even harder time. When you add bad weather conditions such as rain, snow, icy surfaces, or anything that results in poor road conditions, stopping a truck can become tough and reaction time can be delayed. Many drivers experience loss of control, especially when driving on unfamiliar roads.
Poor Vehicle Maintenance: The trucking industry has many laws that require regular maintenance and inspections of every semi - truck to make the roads safer. These inspections include making sure essential parts of the trucking systems are working properly. However, there are trucking companies, truck manufacturers, and truck operators that overlook or skip maintenance on their trucks which may cause the truck to malfunction leading to an accident. This can be the cause of brake failure, mechanical failures, equipment failures, mechanical issues, failure of safety features and more, which are huge safety concerns.
Inadequate Training: To utilize safe driving practices while operating a commercial vehicle, there is extensive driver training that needs to be completed. This is because of the size and weight of the heavy truck as well as the many blind spots which make safe operation difficult. Many commercial trucking companies and truck operators do not provide proper training and may be held responsible or face severe consequences for an accident caused by their inexperienced driver.
If you have been involved in a Trucking Accident and believe it was caused by a negligent party or improper maintenance, you may be entitled to receive financial compensation for any injuries or damages that were sustained.
Contact our Georgia team of experienced trucking accident attorneys who specialize in truck accident injury lawsuits to protect your rights through legal representation. We provide a free case review to see how our experienced attorneys can best assist with filing a personal injury claim for your truck accident injury case.
Get in touch with a Board-Certified Truck Accident Attorney today.