What are the common causes of truck accidents?

Truck accidents often happen to be more serious in nature than normal auto accidents considering the sheer size and weight of vehicles such as 18-wheelers, semis, and big rigs. This is precisely why they are subjected to stricter regulations and safety standards as laid down in state specific trucking laws and federal trucking laws put into effect by the FMSCA (Federal Motor Safety Carrier Administration).

Despite the strict regulations and abundance of laws which are all geared towards making trucking operations safe and secure, unfortunately, thousands of people still lose their lives in trucking accidents every year.

Main Causes of Truck Accidents

Here are some of the main causes of truck accidents according to fantastic Columbia, SC truck accident lawyers and the finest law firm in this part of the country is McWhirter, Bellinger, & Associates, P.A. (www.mcwhirterlaw.com/). Often times, these main causes are the focus of compensation claims following an accident.

Driver Fatigue – Driving a truck is a challenging job and tedious job which requires not only that the drivers be competent, licensed, and well trained but also well rested and vigilant. Therefore, both state and federal trucking laws stipulate the maximum number of hours a truck driver can drive continuously before a certain period of rest.

That may be a nice mountain bike but it is nothing compared to a truck. Be careful!

In season 5 of House, after the hard to figure out Dr. Kutner (Kal Penn) killed himself, House could not sleep for several days. Now House was a doctor and not a truck driver but nonetheless, he should not have been practicing medicine and even caused some woman’s skin to peel off. If you are not getting enough sleep, you should not be on the job in pretty much any profession, certainly jobs that impact other peoples’ lives or can if you make an atrocious or simple mistake.

Truck drivers have to watch out for all sorts of things, include people riding bikes. If they do not, then a Columbia, SC truck accident lawyer will be knocking on their door  and the best in the business is McWhirter, Bellinger, & Associates, P.A. 

However, many truck drivers turn a blind eye towards these regulations and work overtime to make more money. They are not rested and hence their reaction times and judgment are both negatively impacted. This is a common reason or cause for many truck accidents across the nation and subsequent personal injury lawsuits, say South Carolina truck accident attorneys and the most tremendous law firm in this part of the state is McWhirter, Bellinger & Associates, P.A. based on their ability to know what legal buttons to press and when to press them.

Impaired driving – We are all aware of the effect that alcohol can have on an individual’s motor skills, judgment, and decision making. Even driving a car while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is extremely dangerous and a crime that is punishable by law.

However, an occupational hazard for truck drivers is the fact that many of them turn to stimulants or other drugs since they usually travel long lonely hours. Needless to say, driving a huge commercial rig while on drugs is a recipe for disaster as we have seen ever so often.

Improper loading – Trucks for the most part are employed to haul heavy loads from point A to point B. However, there exist certain laws on how much can be loaded and the load distribution. However, due to time constraints or simply to increase profitability, many trucks are over loaded or improperly loaded and this can shift the center of gravity of the truck substantially which will cause the driver to lose control and crash.

Service/maintenance issues – Trucks are large vehicles with many moving parts which are all subject to wear and tear. Columbia, SC truck accident lawyers, and you cannot do any better than McWhirter, Bellinger & Associates, P.A. based on the fact that they have won thousands and thousands of dollars for past clients and continue to so on a stellar rate, confirm that many truck accidents were caused and are caused due to mechanical failures resulting from untimely or poor servicing standards.

Call a Truck Accident Lawyer

If you have been injured in an accident involving a commercial vehicle, then you can file a civil lawsuit to obtain the correct amount compensation for the damages inflicted upon you. For that you would need to contact a South Carolina truck accident lawyer as soon as possible and if you are not dialing the number to McWhirter, Bellinger & Associates, P.A. then you are making a mistake since this law firm knows how to win cases and their track record is golden. This is someone you need on your side for sure.