No one leaves their home with the intention of getting into a trucking accident. If anything, accidents can get pretty ugly, and people often wish not to get in them. But we can not control our chances of getting into such situations. What we can do, is to try and manage the factors in our control so that our chances of getting into such accidents are significantly reduced.
Of course, trucking accidents are even worse because their damage levels can be more severe than what’s obtainable in most other traffic accident situations. According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, damages from truck accidents are often more severe than from passenger vehicle accidents. But, again, this is because trucks are built to be bigger and heavier than most other road traffic vehicles.
This means that you have to be even more careful when driving trucks or driving a car close to them, so you don’t incur devastating damages by getting in an accident. Thankfully, this article will discuss common trucking accidents you should know about and how to avoid them. You sure want to read to the end for the eye-opening information you will learn.
What does a Trucking Accident Entail?
A trucking accident can be said to have occurred when a truck runs into or crashes against other vehicles, pedestrians, or things on the road. It could be a passenger vehicle, a tree, a traffic sign, a pedestrian, other trucks, or anything else.
Indeed, trucking accidents can be pretty devastating, and they can lead to severe damage and injuries. This is why experts advise that you have a personal injury lawyer’s number in your speed dial in case you get in such situations. The lawyer will guide you on the next steps after a truck accident and how to win fair compensation for your damages.
What are the Common Types of Trucking Accidents You Should Know?
There are many trucking accident types, and knowing about them can help you avoid getting into them. Knowing about these accident types will also guide you on how best to respond when they occur. They include the following:
Rear-end Trucking Accidents
This accident occurs when a truck hits another vehicle from the rear. It can lead to severe injuries, losses, and damages for people in the vehicle that has been hit. Accident often occurs when a truck driver is distracted, tired, or intoxicated. It can also occur because of break failures or when the truck follows another vehicle too closely.
Whatever the cause, the accident can be deadly, with lots of damages and losses, and you want to do your best to avoid getting in such a situation.
Intersection Accidents
This type of trucking accident often happens at road intersections, and it is because controlling trucks at such spots can be even trickier. First, you should know that a fully loaded truck is usually slow to start or stop. So, truckers should properly consider traffic flow on the road and how much time it will take to move their vehicle through an intersection before moving. This is because making mistakes on this spot can be very costly and might lead to damage for other road users.
Truckers are expected to stay aware of their surroundings at all times. They should also try their best to make other road users aware of their presence and always observe the right of way and passage of other vehicles at all times.
Head-on Collisions
This involves crashing into another vehicle, head to head. Just like the rear-end crash, this accident situation can also be pretty fatal and will likely lead to severe injuries. It is often caused by distracted driving, fatigue, drug or alcohol abuse, etc. However, it can also result from unexpected equipment failure (like brake and tire failure).
Whatever the cause, you can bet that the effects aren’t something anyone would wish on themselves. But thankfully, they can be prevented when the trucking company, maintenance personnel, and drivers carry out their tasks diligently and carefully.
Cargo-spill Accidents
Truck cargo-spill accidents involve situations where the truck’s fastened cargo breaks loose and spills over. This situation is also hazardous and can lead to massive damage. It is often caused by neglect from the company’s employees who loaded the goods onto the truck.
Indeed, these people are supposed to secure all cargo in safe and appropriate containers and balance them on the truck before adequately strapping them down onto the truck. However, these loaders may fail to balance, block, and adequately brace the cargo. In that case, an accident will likely occur on the driver’s way to deliver.
Moreover, truck drivers are also supposed to inspect and understand the cargo’s unique properties before the trip. They should also ensure that the cargo is safe and adequately loaded before hitting the road. When truck drivers fail to carry out these responsibilities, their chances of getting in a cargo-spill accident increase.
Rollover Accidents
This entails a trucking accident where the truck rolls out of its natural standing position. Unfortunately, the truck driver’s life and the lives of other people on the scene become endangered when this happens. Rollover accidents often occur because drivers drive above speed limits around a corner. However, it can also happen because of the imbalanced loading of cargo onto the truck or the driver’s failure to inspect the load before taking it on the road.
In assessing such accident situations, it is crucial to examine what the driver did when it happened, how the cargo was loaded onto the truck and its center of gravity. All these things will give you a better understanding of what caused the crash.
Top Tips to Help You Avoid Trucking Accidents
Having looked at some significant causes of trucking accidents, let’s now consider some precautionary steps that could help you avoid this type of accident, whether as a trucker or motor vehicle driver.
Always be Predictable
Being predictable entails allowing other drivers and road users to know what your next move will be at all times. Indeed, this is an essential safety rule for all driving situations. But then, it is even more crucial when it concerns truck driving.
Whether you are a truck driver or driving a passenger vehicle close to a truck, you must stay predictable by clearly using your traffic signals. This is so that the vehicles around you will know what you intend to do next and adjust their driving to accommodate you.
Remain Focused while on the Road
It is true that highway driving can sometimes be long and might get boring along the way. Sometimes, you might get too bored, exhausted, or distracted while still behind the wheel. This is very dangerous and can lead to a ghastly accident, especially if you consider that other road users might have just gotten as bored as you are.
The best way to reduce highway boredom is to plan your trip carefully before hitting the road. Arrange for things like your favorite music, podcasts, or eBooks, and carry them along so they can keep you entertained and reduce boredom for you.
You should know that fiddling with your phone, the car radio, or other things while driving is never advisable. This is because they will distract your attention from the road and might lead to an accident. If you need to check something on the phone or change the music on your radio, wait until you find somewhere to pull over.
Observe All Traffic Laws
You should know that traffic laws and safety rules are often enacted to protect you. So, observing them will help to keep you safe on the road. But, at the same time, disobeying these laws can bring severe consequences, including accidents.
So, you should always learn and observe your driving area’s traffic rules and laws. These rules include speed limit laws, the right to the road, traffic rules, etc. Observing them will help reduce your chances of getting into a trucking accident.
Conclusion
It has become clear that trucking accidents can be disastrous, and nobody wishes to get involved. This article has discussed some essential information you should know about such accidents. We have also highlighted some vital information that could help you avoid such situations. Perhaps, you just survived a trucking accident. In that case, you should contact us at Coleman Law Group now. Our experienced truck accident lawyers are here to guide you on how to navigate the situation.
