A Beginner’s Guide To Truck Accidents: Causes, Tips, And Legal Remedies

Published on: 11 October 2021 Last Updated on: 29 October 2024

Trucks continue to remain an integral part of the world’s economy. They are responsible for moving millions of tons of goods and products across the length and breadth of the country every single day. Whether it is day or night, trucks and truck drivers continue to drive.

However, being such large vehicles there is no denying the fact that they are a major threat to other motorists on the road. Car drivers, motorcyclists, bicycle riders, and pedestrians are constantly in danger from being at the receiving end of one of the many threats that trucks pose.

According to experts, heavy trucks are involved in one out of ten deaths that are reported in the United States every year. The weight of a fully loaded truck can reach up to 40 tons! That is 40 tons of moving mass that needs to stop at a heartbeat and be careful of every small car, bike, or individual occupying the same road. That is a tough ask.

In this article, we are going to discuss some of the major aspects of truck accidents-

Leading causes of truck accidents in the United States
Safety Tips to help you steer clear of the danger posed by trucks
Legal remedies that need to be pursued in case you are involved in a truck accident

We take help from a leading Atlanta truck accident lawyer to help list down some of the important details on truck accidents.

5 Leading Causes of Truck Accidents on our Roads and Highways

In this section, we are going to list down the five of the most causes of truck accidents–

1. Tired and Exhausted Truck Drivers-

The efficiency of any trucking operation depends on the completion of orders. In very simple words, the faster the deliveries are done, the more orders a specific truck can generate. This means long hours in bad weather conditions with poor food, lodging, and most importantly, no sleep. Tiredness and exhaustion make drivers fall asleep or slow down their reflexes.

2. Poor Quality and Condition of the Vehicles themselves-

Most commercial trucking companies can be guilty of not paying proper attention to the maintenance of their vehicles. They do not check whether all the parts of the truck are working properly. Since trucks tend to be on the roads most of the time, checking them for regular service becomes difficult. This leads to accidents when, for example, the brakes stop working.

3. Improper Training and Lack of Driving Experience-

Taking control of a vehicle that weighs 40 tons is no joke. It involves a lot of practice, experience, and training. When normal truck drivers are sick or unavailable, the company can ask a rookie to do the job of a seasoned pro. There are so many things that can go wrong when someone who is not adept at handling such a heavy piece of machinery starts to handle it.

4. Not Confirmation to Road Safety Norms, and Regulations-

Truckers know that since they are so big, they are not the ones that should be paying attention to following safety norms. In other words, they believe that if others want to be safe, they should be maintaining a distance from the truck. This makes them drive on one-way streets, not give way to oncoming traffic, and park at the side of highways where it is dangerous.

5. Engaging with Intoxicants like Alcohol and Marijuana-

Being on the road for months on end can be frustrating for truck drivers. To keep themselves engaged, they turn to alcohol and smoking weed. This dumbs down their reflexes and gives rise to the possibility of falling asleep at the steering wheel. Many studies have found that alcoholism is an issue that is rampant among truck drivers in the United States.

Safety Tips that Motorists should follow to avoid accidents with trucks

Every year in the United States, the Federal Motor Safety Administration comes out with a handbook for motorists that contain safety tips to avoid trucks and encounter accidents.

The following are some safety tips that motorists should be following to keep them safe-

1. Visibility–

The first thing that is prescribed is to ensure that you are visible to the truck drivers. Make sure you are honking and putting on your headlights every time you are passing a truck. Do not position your vehicles in the blind spots of the truck driver.

2. Passing–

Every time you are looking to overtake a truck make sure you have the space to do so. Do not try to make a pass in a tight squeeze. Make sure that you wait for the truck to give you the passing signal before you step on the gas for the pass.

3. Cutting-Off–

Most accidents are when motorists try to cut off a truck. When you do this at speed, you end up being in the blind spot of the drivers. This prevents their ability to break on time and results in a violent crash. You should look to avoid this at all costs.

4. Distance–

If you are tailgating a truck, you are not visible to the driver! This means that if they break, you are likely to slip right under the huge vehicle. Ensure that you maintain a healthy distance between your vehicle and the truck in front of you.

5. Anticipate–

Riding on the same roads as trucks require you to be patient. Trucks have wider turning radiuses than small cars. They cannot also make quick maneuvers on the road. As a motorist, you need to be patient and anticipate the movements.

If you are following the above-mentioned safety norms, you can reduce the chances of coming into contact with a 40-ton truck.

Legal Remedies to pursue in case of Truck Accidents

If you have been in a truck accident, you are well within your rights to file a lawsuit. You need to claim compensation for the material damage caused, as well as seek payments to help you tide over any medical injuries you might have suffered as a result of the accident.

The first thing that you need to do is hire an expert and experienced truck accident lawyer. You need to make sure that they have prior experience in filing personal injury lawsuits of this nature. Make sure that you gather all the possible evidence and build a solid case.

When it comes to truck accidents, the company operating the vehicle is a party to the lawsuit. They need to ensure that the insurance covers all possible material and physical damages that have been the result of the accident.

The following information should be collected from the site of the accident-

The type of truck- make, model, brand, and license plates of the truck.
The name of the truck’s driver and his commercial license.
The information about the insurance company and details.
Names, addresses, and call numbers of the trucking company, head offices, and more.
Photos, videos, and witness statements from the scene of the crime.

The Bottom Line

In this article, we have discussed some of the probable causes of truck accidents. We have also discussed safety tips that will help you keep your distance from heavy vehicles. Finally, we have looked at what legal recourse needs to be pursued if you are involved in a truck accident.

If you have any more questions that you would like us to address on truck accidents, please let us know in the comments below. We will be glad to help you out.

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There Is A Pothole Problem In America – How To Protect Your Car From Damage?

Drivers around the United States are complaining of potholes on the roads. In fact, there is a serious pothole problem in America. The AAA released their recent study report - which reveals that potholes cost the Americans drivers $3 billion a year. A pothole can damage your car other than making your ride bumpy. The suspension system of your car gets messed up when you drive over a pothole. On the other hand, potholes can bend the wheels of your car and puncture them in the process. Pothole-related repair costs can vary depending on the type of damage to your car. RepairPal is a good online tool to get an estimate on specific types of car repairs. Your location and other variables can affect the cost of repairs. In fact, the average repair cost will be around $300. You should contact a mobile mechanic Houston for assistance in this regard. $300 is a lot of money. For that amount of money, you can easily take your family to Disneyland. It is a pity that we have to deal with potholes on our road network since the government is responsible for providing its people with safe roads and bridges for travel. Potholes would make most of you mad. In fact, you should be writing to Congress and telling them to fund the road development projects in your area. There is at least one pothole in your daily commute. In fact, most people are complaining about it. Then there is another one and another one - which go on and on. These potholes are quite annoying and will damage your car upon impact. Public works associations have been repairing a lot of these potholes lately with the assistance of the public. Most potholes need urgent repairs today. You should pressurize the city councils to get the work done immediately. The city is not responsible for the damage caused to your car due to potholes on the roads - unless the work crews were negligent. Since the city doesn't insure the streets, they are not responsible for repairing damaged cars under the prevailing law. The American Automobile Association conducted a survey in 2016 and found out that potholes on the road networks have caused damages to the vehicles contributing to more than $3 billion per year for the last five years. Many public works associations have promised to repair potholes on roads within 48 hours of receiving a complaint from a resident. If you run into a pothole while driving, here are some tips to avoid them - courtesy of State Farm Insurance. Drive on familiar roads. In fact, you can easily avoid potholes when you drive on roads that are familiar to you. Make sure that you travel on roads that are well-lit. You will be able to see the surface of the road while driving in the night when the road is well-lit. Slow down and you can easily spot a pothole and avoid it while driving. Avoid tailgating. It is important that you give yourself time to be able to see the road conditions ahead when driving behind another vehicle. Brake before the impact. When you aggressively apply brakes, there is a greater load on the tires, wheels, and suspension system of the car. This can cause more damage to your car. That is why it is important that you brake at a distance before the impact. AAA provided the following tips: Check your tires for proper inflation at regular intervals. The tires are the main cushion between the wheels and suspension on your car and the pothole. Hence, it is important to check the inflation on a regular basis. Prevent swerving. Use your rear-view mirror before trying to avoid a pothole. It is important to prevent the risk of a collision. Listen for strange vibrations from the car. Pothole impacts can bend or break the suspension components in your car. It may also damage tires and wheels and dislodge wheel weights. Check the wheel alignment. A pothole can affect the steering of the car. It may knock the wheels of the car out of alignment in the process. How Do You Prevent Damages To The Car From Potholes? Driving is all about coping with potholes and traveling safely. In fact, damaged wheels and tires will leave motorists stranded at the side of the road - thereby leaving their wallets empty. The new Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles go through a stringent testing process in order to prevent damages caused by chuckholes. Ford uses several proving grounds in order to validate its vehicle designs such as Romeo, Mich., and Dearborn, Mich. These grounds are filled with different types of torture devices to test and improve the durability of the vehicle. The engineers at Ford design spare parts up-front to deal with these potholes. They balance these parts for numerous other custom driving conditions. The engineers will tune shock rebound rates in order to keep the wheel and tire suspended to glide over the pothole. This will prevent the tire from dropping into the pothole and impacting the edge of the tire and wheel. Ford Motor Company Offers Drivers Several Tips To Prevent Damage To The Vehicles From Potholes: Keep the tire pressure constant at the manufacturer's recommendation. This will help protect the wheels and tires from being damaged due to the impact of the pothole. Don't swerve to avoid a pothole. It creates a situation where the front wheel and tire hit the edge of the hole at an obtuse angle. This can do more harm than hitting the pothole squarely. If you are safe, don't brake as soon as you see a pothole. Instant braking will compress the car's front suspension and force the wheel and tire down the pothole without gliding over it. In fact, even if you drive very carefully, there is a chance of having a flat tire on the highway. Drive slow to the closest safe area out of traffic. Even though this can damage the flat tire - your safety is more important. If you suspect your car has been damaged or feel a sudden vibration, reduce your speed immediately. Drive slowly until you can safely pull off the road. Inspect your tires for damage. If the tire is flat, replace it with the spare wheel. If you can't find a cause, get your car towed to the nearest repair shop and have a mobile mechanic Houston inspect your car.

Car Care for Newbies

Car shows are pretty popular. We love to watch people ‘pimping their rides’ and getting car make-overs. Meanwhile, our own vehicles are lucky if they get a weekly car wash. For many drivers, fuel is the only maintenance their car receives. And even this becomes a problem because they ignore their fuel indicator light until the last possible minute. For the record, you should never dismiss your car’s lights or sounds. They were put there for a reason, and if you’re unclear, you could always Google it. Check your car’s user manual, and if it’s too dry and boring to hold your interest, spend some time on WikiHow and YouTube. You can find some pretty detailed, user-friendly tips for your car model. But what exactly does car maintenance involve? Wash your car two or three times a week, or opt for a deep detail. These are offered by mobile car wash services that will drive right to your door and clean your car without it ever leaving your driveway. These detailers may suggest additional car care options, like defogging lights, deodorising car smells and protecting your paint job. Do a manual check Apart from cleaning the car, you should do a cursory inspection each time you step out of the car. It’s that thing guys do when they squat beside the car, kick the tyres and raise the bonnet, except it’s never quite clear what they’re looking for. Here are some suggestions. Stroll around the car and peek underneath, checking for any water puddles or oil spills. Rev the engine and listen to it. If you’ve been driving the car long enough, you can tell when the engine sounds ‘off’, even if you can’t detect the exact problem. If possible, you can use your phone to record the unsettling sound, then you can text it to your mechanic and see what they think. It may be something simple like loose ball joints, or it could be a worn-out clutch plate! On that note, get your car regularly serviced. It’ll only spend a few hours at the garage, and some mechanics will even give you a substitute vehicle to use in the meantime. Back to your car check, kicking the tyres has two goals. One, you’re assessing tyre pressure, in case you need an air refill. Two, you’re inspecting your tyre treads – it may be time for a new set of wheels. Top up your car fluids Your car does not live on fuel alone. You have lots of other car fluid, such as brake fluid, engine oil, lubricant, radiator water, and steering fluid for automatic cars. These need to be refilled at regular intervals, and your car owner’s manual (or YouTube) can guide you on what to check, where it’s located on the car, and how often you need to top up. This keeps your car running. Think of your car like your body. Some days, you wake up off-kilter. You’re not always sure what’s wrong, but you don’t feel like yourself. Put the same amount of focus on your car. As you drive, pay attention to smooth shifting, strange shudders, squeaks, rumbles, or vibrations. Learn what’s normal and what’s not, so that you know when it’s time to call the garage. Read Also: 7 Important Car Driving Safety Tips You Should Not Skip! Washing Your Car: 7 Dos And Don’ts What Do You Need To Change Car Rims?

What to Consider When Buying Heavy Duty Truck Alignment Equipment?

Heavy duty truck is precision instruments. They need to be consistent and reliable because hauling dense material can be dangerous if not done correctly. To keep the precision of these trucks, maintenance is of the utmost priority. Cutting corners on maintenance can result in catastrophic failure and may even result in injury. One of the most crucial maintenance tools for heavy-duty trucks is the alignment equipment. These work like the standard alignment equipment for cars only on the heavier side. Having aligned wheels helps lessen tire to road resistance. It also helps keep the back axles in tandem with the front. This provides more stability and safety for the truck. Adequately aligned wheels have benefits, including speed, fuel efficiency, road stability, and performance. This is why you should have the right tool when investing in heavy duty truck alignment equipment. Here's a short checklist of what you should be looking for when searching the market for this critical maintenance tool. What to Consider When Buying Heavy Duty Truck Alignment Equipment: Quick and Consistent: Time is of the essence in the trucking industry. You should look for a maintenance tool that can do the job in a short period of the day. Truck companies can invest in this equipment to make sure their fleet is ready for any hauling needs in any season. Business people can also invest in truck alignment equipment so that they can help maintain private truck owners. No Roll No Push Feature: Older alignment equipment required a dangerous roll and push maneuver to align truck wheels. Technology has allowed for safer and more accurate measurement and alignment of trucks. This should be one of the foremost things to look for when considering an alignment tool. Pinpoint Accuracy: The alignment is not for show. It is an essential factor in ensuring safe driving and transport of materials from location to location. Test the alignment equipment a few more times and see if the accuracy is always the same for every test done. Consistency is an indication that you have a piece of proper heavy-duty truck alignment equipment. This will ensure the owner and the truck operator that they can rely on the vehicle to work well even in long distances. Easy Operation: Even though precision is key to having a useful alignment tool, you should still look for one that is easy to operate. With the many technologies available, high precision can be achieved in a simple operation. There is alignment equipment you can operate with a smartphone. Durability: Since you will be dealing with heavy duty truck, it should be able to withstand heavy loads day in and day out. It should be able to last for decades. Make sure to pick one that will endure the test and abuse of time. Investing in maintenance equipment should be a top priority. But you should also look into what these tools can benefit you for a long time. Find the one that is both feature-packed and functional. Don't compromise on this equipment. Ensure that this equipment will stand the test of time, weight, and even abuse from heavy duty trucks. Read Also: Why Times Are Tough For Truckers And Why It Concerns You 5 Clever Tips Every Truck Driver Should Bear In Mind Freight Factoring Is Solving Common Trucking Challenges 4 Things You Need To Know About Commercial Truck Insurance

A Beginner’s Guide To Truck Accidents: Causes, Tips, And Legal Remedies