What are the common causes of commercial truck accidents?

As a Virginia motorist, you may be used to sharing the road with tractor trailers on a daily basis. These massive vehicles can weigh up to 80,000 pounds and may have as many as three trailers filled with cargo. It is not surprising that an accident with one of these trucks can be catastrophic. From distracted drunk and drowsy truck drivers to reckless motorists who do not know how to drive safely around trucks, commercial truck accidents are not uncommon. It may help you to be familiar with the common causes of large truck accidents so that you may minimize your chances of becoming a victim of a truck accident.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has regulations in place involving commercial truck maintenance. Truck drivers, as well as commercial truck carriers, are responsible for ensuring their tractor trailers are property maintained. Wear and tear occurs on the trucks as they traverse long distances. An accident can occur from worn brake pads, bad lights or failure in one of the truck’s key systems. If a tire blows on the freeway, it can spell disaster for the truckers as well as other motorists on the road.

Other common causes of truck accidents include the following:

•          Inclement weather conditions, such as wind, rain, snow, hail or ice
•          Improper cargo loading can cause items to shift and truck to tip over or jackknife
•          Speeding in construction zones and general truck driver error

To stay safe on the road, it is important to be aware of your surroundings and be able to react to a situation if one should occur.

This information is intended to educate and should not be taken as legal advice.