Comercial & Trucking Accidents
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE & TRUCKING ACCIDENT
Commercial vehicles and trucking accidents are some of the most dangerous types of vehicle accidents that can occur. Commercial vehicles typically weigh between 20,000-40,000 pounds and can devastate smaller, passenger vehicles which might weigh only 3,000 – 6,000 pounds. These accidents can easily cause serious bodily injury or even death. Commercial vehicle and trucking accidents can affect multiple vehicles on the road. That is why most commercial drivers practice for months before being able to go out on the road. Yet, every day in South Florida, commercial trucks are involved in at least 11 serious car accidents. Even though commercial drivers have to practice for months before going out on the road, accidents still happen, but why? According to The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), here are some of the reasons.
CAUSES OF TRUCK ACCIDENTS
Distracted Driving- Commercial truck drivers are susceptible to this too, where they are texting or driving, eating and more. When a driver is distracted, all it takes is one minute of them looking down at their phone before an accident happens.
Fatigue: Truck drivers have to drive long hours, and they try to make as many deliveries as possible because that is how they’re paid. Many of them work 12-hour shifts and don’t have the proper time to rest. This can lead to problems such as falling asleep at the wheel and losing control of their vehicle. The National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) estimates that fatigue plays a role more than 30% of the time in trucking accidents.
Improperly loaded packaging: sometimes commercial vehicles are not loaded with their delivery packages properly. When this happens, there’s a possibility of the packages falling out of the vehicle and causing damage to other unsuspecting vehicles.
Defective Vehicle: Every vehicle needs to be inspected by a broker before being able to go out on the road. If it was poorly inspected, a vehicle might have mechanical issues that the driver wouldn’t have known about. When this happens, the driver might have mechanical breakdowns during the drive, which can lead to an accident.
One of the major reasons is a problem with the brake and not being able to stop on time.
Traveling too fast for conditions: A commercial vehicle has a certain speed it must go to when it is traveling on the road, usually, the maximum speed is 55 mph. Sometimes drivers will drive too fast because they want to get meet deadlines to fill their quotas, which might become detrimental to them if a car suddenly brakes in front of them and they need to stop. Commercial vehicles become relatively slower to brake because of the heavy loads it might be carrying.
Commercial accidents have many reasons why they occur but the devastation it can cause can change someone’s life forever. Viñas & DeLuca Law has dealt with many cases regarding commercial accidents and personal injury. If you or a loved one has been injured in a commercial car accident, don’t hesitate to contact Viñas & DeLuca Law for a free consultation today. Call now at:(305) 372-3650