Most often, accidents involving large trucks are catastrophic. A truck accident can occur due to many reasons and in different weather conditions. If an incident involves a truck and passenger car, the passengers in the smaller car tend to be more vulnerable. They may incur serious injuries or even lose their lives.
Driving large trucks is challenging, and drivers must undergo extensive training in order to secure a special license. Most truck accident investigations show that drivers were engaged in some form of negligent behavior, such as speeding. Nationwide, among all causes, drowsiness and fatigue contribute to most truck accidents. Here are more common causes:
Speeding
According to statistics, speeding is one of the leading causes of truck accidents in the country. Because of the weight and sheer size of a truck, it tends to exert more force on the surfaces and objects they impact with. This justifies the need to be aware of your car’s speed and the distance between you and the other vehicles.
Although time is an important factor for every type of business, your safety should come first. Ensure you adhere to the recommended speed limits. By doing so, you will not only improve safety for you and other road users but also reduce your fuel costs.
Exhaustion Among the Drivers
The law states that truck drivers should only drive for a maximum of eleven hours. Then they should take a 10-hour break. But trucking companies don’t always adhere to this legal requirement.
Some drivers end up driving for up to 16 hours. The extended working hours are often due to their employers setting unrealistic shipment arrival times. If a driver is too exhausted, the chances of causing an accident are high.
Unfamiliarity With Blind Spots
A driver may experience challenges using unfamiliar routes. The other road users may also be unaware of the blind spots; therefore, you need to keep a safe distance while on the road and be cautious when changing the lanes.
Some things are beyond your control. If other drivers fail to drive responsibly, you should try to be the better driver and pay more attention to the road.
4 Mistakes to Avoid if You Want a Settlement
As a truck accident victim, you will need to take some actions to receive compensation from the negligent parties. Here are some of the mistakes you should avoid:
Admitting Liability
Ensure that you notify the police about the accident as soon as possible. However, avoid revealing any information that could lead a judge or insurance provider to place the fault on you. You just need to explain the events leading to the incident.
You should keep the description as short as possible, even when filing an insurance claim. After some time, an insurance provider may contact you to provide more information about the truck accident. If that happens, refer them to your attorney.
Failure to Gather Adequate Evidence at the Scene
Before you leave the scene of the accident, make sure you gather as much evidence as you can. Some of the information you may need includes:
- Pictures
- Video footage
- Eyewitness statements
- Police report
Record the damages of your car and those of the other drivers involved. If you experience visible physical injuries, take pictures of those, too. More evidence improves the chances of getting compensation.
Failure to Seek Prompt Medical Examination
A professional medical practitioner should examine you immediately after an accident and again a few days later. This is because it may take several days for some injuries to manifest. One of the defendants’ common defenses is that your injuries resulted from other events before an accident. Medical records are important pieces of evidence for your case.
Neglecting to Contact the Police
By calling the police, emergency responders will be dispatched to the scene of the accident. The information you provide to the police is crucial and will be part of the official police report. The documents are important during a lawsuit as they can prove the negligence of the other parties involved in a truck accident.
By Cheryl Roy
Author’s bio: Passionate writer and contributor to several professional websites. I like to debate complex topics and I’m always up for new challenges. Doing research and discovering new information are two aspects marked as a priority when I’m writing my articles and ideas.