Many accidents with large trucks are avoidable

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Accidents involving large trucks are especially dangerous considering the great disparity in size and weight with the passenger cars and light trucks that are also involved. Many of these collisions between big rigs and smaller vehicles result in fatalities to those occupants of the passenger vehicles.

Even when the accident does not end in a fatality, if you were involved in an 18-wheeler crash, your injuries can be catastrophic and permanently disabling. If you have a family to support, your injuries can leave you unable to return to work for months. Some accident victims involved in collisions with big rigs are never able to return to the jobs they held prior to their accidents.

Learn the causes of some common semitruck accidents

Faulty equipment on the trucks can create dangerous situations on the road. Consider how hazardous it is for a truck to lose its brakes on a heavily trafficked highway or interstate. States with highways snaking through the mountains frequently construct runaway truck ramps, which are often unpaved inclines that veer off the highway as a way for out-of-control 18-wheelers to avoid deadly pile-ups.

However, such devices are intended as last-resort options. All mechanical parts of trucks must be routinely inspected for signs of wear and tear. Broken, defective and worn out parts must be removed and replaced to ensure the truck meets all safety requirements.

Human errors by truckers

No truck driver can say that they never make mistakes, but certainly many mistakes can be avoided when truckers observe safety precautions. Many accidents stem from drivers ignoring safety guidelines, e.g., improperly securing cargo, driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol or exceeding load limits on their hauls.

Economic pressure can cause truck drivers to exceed the federal Hours of Service requirements, leading to driver fatigue and other dangerous conditions.

Trucking company pressures

Trucking companies today are often dangerously understaffed, leading owners and managers to be lax about hiring practices. Some may hire drivers that have received too little or otherwise inferior training just to keep their fleet running. Others may not look too closely at the driving records of some behind the wheels of their big rigs, ignoring red flags like frequent collisions or a DWI.

The policies of some trucking companies put enormous pressure on their drivers to meet impossible deadlines and unrealistic schedules. Some are expected to push on through severely inclement weather to keep to tight delivery schedules, endangering all they encounter on the highways.

Hold at-fault parties responsible for your injuries

If your ability to earn and provide for your needs and those of your family members has been affected by your injuries from a collision with a large truck, you have the right to pursue compensation for your losses and damages. A New Jersey personal injury attorney can assist you with filing your claim for damages.