Three Most Common Causes Of Truck Accidents In SW Florida
Brian O Sutter
Traffic Accidents
Anyone driving the roads and highways of North Port, Venice, or Port Charlotte has met the familiar sight of large, 18-wheel professional hauling trucks cruising to their destination. These are the new workhorses of America, carrying vast amounts of freight to different places so people can buy their food, clothes, or even consumer electronics.However, trucks, due to their huge mass and size, are capable of massive damage. When something as big and heavy as a truck hits something else at high speed, the chances of severe injury or even death are significant. Tragically, truck accidents do happen, and here are the three most common causes.
Distracted Driving
In the same way that this is the leading cause of car accidents, it should come as no surprise that it plays a significant role in truck accidents. Driving, especially by yourself, can be tedious. Unfortunately, anything can happen at any time, so taking your eyes off the road for even a few seconds can result in an accident.
However, if you’ve already been on the road for hours and are bored, the temptation to distract yourself can be great. There are laws in place about not texting or using phone apps while driving, but many people ignore these from time to time. So it should come as no surprise that truck drivers may do this as well during those long, tedious hours hauling freight.
Fatigue
Unlike someone commuting to work or driving down to the local restaurant for a nice meal, truck drivers are literally “in it for the long haul.” They have strict deadlines they need to meet, which means they must cover a certain minimum distance on any given day. In some cases, meeting these deadlines mean staying on the road for many hours, even forgoing rest and sleep.
This can sometimes result in truck drivers falling asleep at the wheel. All it takes is a few seconds of nodding off for a vehicle to veer out of its lane. However, when this happens with a truck, the level of damage can be catastrophic, especially with a trailer that may be full of good, or in some cases, flammable liquids, like gasoline.
Substance Abuse
Many truck drivers see the risk of trying to stay awake and drive while feeling fatigued. So in a way, it’s understandable that some types of substance abuse may arise to combat this. For example, amphetamines, cocaine, and other drugs are stimulants designed to provide energy and keep people active. However, as with other substances, like alcohol, just being conscious is no guarantee of alertness or, more crucially, responsiveness.
People under the influence of substances designed to keep you stimulated may still suffer from poor judgment and impaired reflexes. Some drugs can even bring on hallucinations, resulting in erratic driving based on things that aren’t even there.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a trucking accident, and you suspect it’s the truck driver’s fault, get legal advice. Talk to a trucking accident lawyer and determine how you should approach this case because truck driving accident cases can be complex.