Most Common Causes of Large Truck Accidents (Part 2)

Most Common Causes of Large Truck Accidents (Part 2)

Welcome back to this two-part series covering the most common causes of 18-wheeler road accidents. In part one, we covered two very important topics: drunk and intoxicated driving and irresponsible driving. This second part will be the last part in this series, so without further ado, here are the remaining few common causes of 18-wheeler accidents…

• Poor scheduling: Sometimes, the result of an accident can be pinned on the company that the truck driver belongs to, rather than the driver, themselves. It’s no surprise that truck drivers can clock in over ten hours of a driving a day, easily. When this happens, they need adequate time to sleep and recuperate. However, some will have to drive fifteen or more hours a day, depending on the number of jobs a company has to complete, etc. However, sometimes the truck driver is also at fault for not knowing their own physical limits. This happens when a truck driver who wants to earn more money takes on additional driving jobs. In effect, they might be driving across the country for a week, only to turn around and hit the road immediately after. They suffer from lack of sleep and physical exercise, which puts them at a risk for becoming ill on the road, or even falling asleep at the wheel.
• Poor road etiquette on the part of other drivers: Even while most of us tend to avoid driving right next to or behind these large, 18-wheelers, some people will always be terrible drivers and not respect others on the road. Whether there is heavy traffic or not, it’s important to be aware of your own driving habits. For instance, if there is heavy traffic and someone on the road is trying to weave in and out of cars to switch lanes, they might collide with an 18-wheeler because they don’t have the ability to brake as quickly as smaller vehicles, which could land that person with a bad, even fatal, rear-end.

This concludes our two-part series! Whether you drive a large 18-wheeler or operate a small, commuter car, it’s always important to know your physical limits while driving, never step into a driver’s seat if you’ve been drinking or have taken certain medications, and to always be aware of others on the road.