5 Common Causes Of Serious Truck Accidents

Knoxville is a congested transport hub with considerable freight movement, which means that opportunities for serious truck accidents are ever-present. Year after year, there are incidents of commercial trucking collisions resulting in catastrophic injuries and damages that compel us to look at mechanisms to increase awareness and prevention.

When you think of truck accidents, it’s crucial that you first look at the main contributing aspects of crashes. By engaging the services of a Knoxville truck accident attorney, you can address the complicated legal matters that arise and the specifics of handling an incident involving a truck in Tennessee.

5 Causes of Serious Truck Accidents

1.  Driver Fatigue

Driver fatigue is 1a leading contributor to truck accidents. Long hours behind the wheel, erratic driving times, inadequate rest, and so on can have fatal effects on reaction time and judgment. A fatigued driver will likely approach a traffic signal and not react (i.e., red light, turn left into traffic), misjudge a turn or distance, and drive into another vehicle. Worse yet, they may fall asleep.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Administration, fatigue is a contributing factor to nearly 13 percent of large truck crashes. These statistics underline the importance of scheduling regulations and rest breaks to improve the safety of truck drivers and other motorists sharing the road.

2. Distracted Driving

Distracted driving among truck drivers is also a growing concern, which may originate from cell phones, GPS devices, or eating while driving. The mismanagement of the truck driver’s attention for even a brief moment could have catastrophic consequences at high rates of speed, especially in congested areas such as Knoxville.

Recognizing the risks of distracted driving underlines what makes legal assistance so important when a crash happens. When you get retained by a truck accident attorney, you can untangle the intricate liability issues for truck crashes and help the victims during the process.

3. Speeding and Reckless Driving

The role of speeding and reckless driving significantly increases the frequency and severity of truck crashes. Large trucks require a longer distance to come to a complete stop, making speed a potentially distressing risk.

Aggressive lane changing, tailgating, and weaving through traffic pose a danger to everyone on the roadway. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) data showed that speeding leads the way in contributing to nearly one-third of all fatal crashes.

It is essential to enforce speed limits and promote driving behaviors that save lives and reduce injuries in commercial trucks.

4. Mechanical Failures

Neglected maintenance can make trucks more like dangerous projectiles than vehicles. The two most serious mechanical failures include:

• Brake system defects (FMCSA’s leading mechanical cause)
• Bald or under-inflated tires
• Faulty hitch assemblies

Fortunately, Tennessee does have an annual inspection program that fixes many issues. However, out-of-state carriers occasionally bypass state regulations. In a crash at highway speeds, just one mechanical failure can lead to incalculable catastrophic multi-vehicle accidents.

5. Impaired Driving

An impaired driver is one of the more significant contributors to serious truck accidents. Alcohol, drugs, or prescribed drugs can inhibit coordination and reaction time more than any truck driver will want to comprehend. A few drinks are no excuse to drive to someone else, especially in a large commercial vehicle.

Law enforcement and regulations exist to reduce the risk of impaired driving among truckers. The fact that accidents still happen tells you that you need to consider the risks of driver impairment, value monitoring driver fitness, and promote safe driving.

With these reflections, you can see that always being vigilant is the key to avoiding serious truck tragedies.

Preventive Actions and Awareness

By studying the causes of serious truck accidents, you can be proactive. Getting your vehicle serviced periodically, abiding by rest schedules, avoiding distractions, obeying speed limits, and avoiding the risk of impairment are processes that must include awareness.

Preventative measures and increased awareness give the traveling public the opportunity to mitigate the chances of a collision, which saves lives on our roads and highways!

Key Takeaways

• Driver fatigue and distractions remain the leading causes of truck crashes.
• Impaired driving in the community poses a serious risk.
• Awareness, maintenance, and regulations help deter negligent behaviors.