Trucks are scary! With their heavy size and towering height, they can be quite the monstrosity on the road. What’s even scarier, however, is the high number of accidents and fatal car crashes involving 18 wheelers. A truck collision wouldn’t result in a minor fender bender; considering their huge mass and inertia, a truck would have a considerably longer stopping distance than a normal passenger car.
Many car accident injury lawyer state this is the reason why insurance rates for 18 wheelers are higher than those of normal commuters. According to accident attorneys in Akron, here are the main causes of truck accidents:
The primary cause of truck accidents in the state is inattention while driving. As if there weren’t distractions on the roads before, modern technology has made it even more of a hazard. Texting while driving, attending to calls and inattentive driving can all lead to drastic consequences. According to an independent research, it takes 5 seconds to check a text message, during which time a truck moving at nominal speed can cross the length of a football field! Imagine that!
It’s already mentioned that trucks have a lengthier stopping distance than conventional vehicles, which is why cars in close proximity are in the most danger in case of sudden braking.
You would think speeding is just limited to red Ferraris and Lambos, when in fact speeding is a direct cause of accidents in trucks as well. This can be attributed due to tight deadlines in the delivery business.
Due to their huge size, most trucks have blind spots the size of Jupiter, causing uncountable accidents.
There are also some scenarios where the driver isn’t at fault, such as mechanical failures (brakes, headlights, tire bursts, etc).
It goes without saying that a truck driver, in fact any driver for that matter, shouldn’t be using cellphones while on the roads. There are many Bluetooth peripherals available that do not even require the phone to be taken out of the pocket. Secondly, other drivers should keep a distance of at least 15 feet to prevent them from coming within the truck’s braking zone. Finally, the truck may also be installed with additional safety features such as ABS, side and reverse cameras, and even braking sensors.
Many car accident injury lawyer state this is the reason why insurance rates for 18 wheelers are higher than those of normal commuters. According to accident attorneys in Akron, here are the main causes of truck accidents:
Inattention While Driving
The primary cause of truck accidents in the state is inattention while driving. As if there weren’t distractions on the roads before, modern technology has made it even more of a hazard. Texting while driving, attending to calls and inattentive driving can all lead to drastic consequences. According to an independent research, it takes 5 seconds to check a text message, during which time a truck moving at nominal speed can cross the length of a football field! Imagine that!
Following Too Closely
It’s already mentioned that trucks have a lengthier stopping distance than conventional vehicles, which is why cars in close proximity are in the most danger in case of sudden braking.
Speeding
You would think speeding is just limited to red Ferraris and Lambos, when in fact speeding is a direct cause of accidents in trucks as well. This can be attributed due to tight deadlines in the delivery business.
Blind Spots
Due to their huge size, most trucks have blind spots the size of Jupiter, causing uncountable accidents.
Mechanical Failures
There are also some scenarios where the driver isn’t at fault, such as mechanical failures (brakes, headlights, tire bursts, etc).
Prevention
It goes without saying that a truck driver, in fact any driver for that matter, shouldn’t be using cellphones while on the roads. There are many Bluetooth peripherals available that do not even require the phone to be taken out of the pocket. Secondly, other drivers should keep a distance of at least 15 feet to prevent them from coming within the truck’s braking zone. Finally, the truck may also be installed with additional safety features such as ABS, side and reverse cameras, and even braking sensors.
