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Spotlight on Truck Accidents
Driver Fatigue Causing Trucking Accidents
Truck driver fatigue is defined as the exhausted, sleepy, or tired feeling a driver experiences while operating a commercial motor vehicle. Truck drivers work very long hours, face unrealistic deadlines, and have to meet tight rigorous schedules. Because of this fact, truck driver fatigue is one of the main reasons why truck accidents occur in the United States. Truck driver fatigue can severely impair the judgment of an individual who is behind the wheel of a commercial motor vehicle. It is particularly dangerous because one symptom includes the decreased ability to evaluate their own level of fatigue.
Read More about Truck Driver Fatigue
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A trucking accident occurs when large trailers (10,000+ lbs.) collide with other vehicles or pedestrians. Around 500,000 trucking accidents occur every year in the United States. Of these, approximately 5,000 trucking accidents result in fatalities. In fact, one out of every eight traffic fatalities involves a trucking collision.
Most of the deaths and injuries involve the passengers of vehicles while the drivers of the tractor-trailers usually escape truck-vehicle collisions with little or no personal injury. Due to the large size of trucks, an accident can greatly endanger the lives of other smaller vehicles unnecessarily when tractor-trailer operators fail to consider proper accident prevention measures.
Due to the large size of trucks, an accident can greatly endanger the lives of other smaller vehicles unnecessarily when tractor-trailer operators fail to consider proper accident prevention measures.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents:
- Unlicensed Driver
- Speeding
- Disobeying Safety Procedure
- Motor Vehicle Inspection Failure
- Repair & Maintenance Failure
- Failure to Yield The Right of Way
- 18 Wheeler Crash
- DUI / DWI
- Driver Fatigue
- Truck Rollover
- Backing Up/Moving In Reverse
- Vehicle Collisions
- Mechanical or Brake Failure
- Tires Blow Up
- Transporting Equipment with Trailers
- Overloaded Trucks or Trailers
- Loads That Shift Weight
Trucking injuries can be prevented if passenger vehicle drivers take special care when driving near tractor-trailers. If a trucking collision does occur, record as much information as possible, including names and contact information of witnesses.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) gathered crash statistics for large trucks and buses involved in fatal and non-fatal crashes that occurred in the United States. The information was gathered from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS).
Preliminary national crash facts collected by FARS and MCMIS:
- 136,438 Large Trucks and 12,498 Buses Involved in Non-Fatal Crashes
- 54,961 Large Trucks and 6,709 Buses Involved in Injury Crashes
- 80,752 Injuries in Crashes Involving Large Trucks and 15,297 Injuries in Crashes Involving Buses
- 81,477 Large Trucks and 5,789 Buses Involved in Tow-away Crashes
- 2,231 Large Trucks and 10 Buses Involved in Hazmat (HM) Placard Crashes
- If you need help with a Truck Accident Claim, click here to consult with a Truck Accident Lawyer near you to discuss the details of your case. The content of this site is provided for informational purposes only.
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