As a truck accident law firm, we see a lot of cases involving commercial trucks and cars. Large truck accidents are incredibly dangerous and for many, can cause more long term problems than an accident between two similar sized cars.
Truck drivers have to become licensed in order to drive across the state or across the country because the size of the trucks and trailers they’re hauling are so much bigger than other vehicles on the road. It makes sense that truck drivers need to be more alert, but it might be surprising to you that there are so many truck driver accidents caused by inattention by the drivers.
There are actually dozens of reasons for truck accidents, according to a large truck causation study done by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in the early 2000s. Some of those reasons include weather conditions, highway conditions, tire blowouts, snow and ice, which are all uncontrollable factors for truck drivers. But a large number of truck driver accidents are also caused by speeding, drinking alcohol and driver fatigue.
In this study, 28 percent of the truck accidents that involved death were caused by “Recognition,” which was defined as a driver being inattentive, distracted by something inside or outside the vehicle, or they failed to observe the situation adequately.
Later in the study, it shows that of the truck accident fatalities, another nine percent had Driver Inattention as an associated factor in large truck crashes.
In 2014, the FMCSA also did a study that showed Driver Distraction or Inattention was the second-most common factor for why large truck drivers got into accidents, behind speeding. For cars, however, driver impairment (like alcohol, fatigue or illness) was the second-most common factor. In other words, an inattentive large truck driver is much more dangerous than an inattentive car driver.
Considering the many factors that could cause a large truck driver accident, insurance companies are dealing with claims all the time, and they are well-seasoned in these types of cases.
Anyone in one of these accidents should seek help from a law firm like Fears Nachawati, who have experience going up against truck driver insurance companies.
There are actually many differences between car and truck accidents, and you might not realize that some of the differences could affect the settlement you could get from their insurance company.
Get someone experienced on your side, who will look for compensation in several different ways. Not only are truck drivers required to have insurance, but his truck carrier company is also liable for any damages, whether they are financial or physical.
Call Fears Nachawati, the top Fort Worth accident law firm, and let them help you get what you deserve after an accident involving an inattentive truck driver. Call us at (817) 230-4750 to schedule an appointment.