What Are the Top Causes of Truck Accidents?
David K. Wilson & Associates
July 29, 2020
The average passenger vehicle weighs around 3,000 pounds. However, the average fully-loaded commercial truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. This is why a collision between these vehicles often results in severe injuries and fatalities.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration claims that 5,000 people lost their lives to truck accidents in 2017. Tens of thousands more people also suffered injuries in these crashes. But what are the most common causes of truck accidents?
Our Texas truck accident lawyer has gathered the data so you and your family can stay safe on our roads.
Considering how often we share the road with these large vehicles, it is important to know the causes of truck accidents. The Large Truck Crash Causation Study assigned fault for truck accidents to the truck in 55 percent of all truck accidents it observed. Here are the top three reasons for crashes the study encountered:
This category included issues such as truckers speeding, misjudging the speed of others and tailgating. Errors like these accounted for a total of 38 percent of the crashes caused by trucks.
When a driver is driving while distracted or fails to observe situations properly, they fit into this category. Accidents related to inattentiveness are growing nationwide. However, they make up 28 percent of all trucking accidents caused by trucks in our nation.
Drivers who suffered medical emergencies or fell asleep at the wheel make up this category. These incidents only account for 12 percent of the truck-caused accidents.
Though these top reasons make up 78 percent of all truck caused accidents, there are other causes you should know about. Truckers panicking, overcompensating and losing control account for 9 percent of these crashes. Vehicle failures account for 10 percent, and the environment accounts for 3 percent. If you want to learn more about the causes of truck accidents, check out our blog on the causes of semi-truck accidents.
A truck collision can be very complex and not all Texas truck accident lawyers are up to the task. However, David K. Wilson & Associates, Attorneys at Law have the experience and know how you need.
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