Big rig trucking is big business in the U.S. Nearly 70% of all freight is moved by commercial trucks, generating more than $255 billion in revenue each year.More miles covered by more trucks has resulted in a 4% increase in the number of fatalities from trucking accidents and an even greater 18% increase in injuries (2012 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report).
Also, because trucks are so much larger and heavier than other vehicles involved in accidents, it’s no surprise that a considerable majority – 73% – of deaths and injuries involve drivers and passengers of smaller vehicles.
Causes of Trucking Accidents
Most commercial truck operators are skilled drivers with many hours of experience. However, truck driver errors such as the following cause many trucking accidents:
- Speeding or straying out of lane
- Driver fatigue
- Following other vehicles too closely
- Driving under the influence of prescription or over-the-counter drugs
- Driver inadequate training or inexperience
Other factors contributing to accidents are poor weather conditions and inferior road surfaces or markings.
Trucking companies or manufacturers may also be responsible for accidents because of improper load distribution, poor vehicle maintenance or equipment failure. Also, some companies compensate drivers for quicker delivery that may push faster speeds and more consecutive hours of operation – even if federal laws dictate otherwise.
The Bendell Law Firm in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho can help determine fault if you or a family member has been seriously injured in an accident with a commercial truck.
Give a Trucker a Break!
Because they are smaller, passenger vehicles like cars, small trucks and motorcycles are much more maneuverable than commercial trucks. Truck drivers have limited visibility because of the vehicle’s shape and size, and trucks take longer to turn, stop and accelerate. When sharing the road with trucks:
- Avoid driving in “no-zones” where the truck driver has limited visibility of your vehicle – generally the areas beside and behind a commercial truck
- Never merge into traffic or change lanes abruptly in front of a truck.
- When passing, give trucks adequate room.
- Don’t pass a truck on the right if it is turning in that direction.
- Be courteous: slow down or change lanes to let a slow-moving truck enter a highway
Read more tips about driving in truck traffic at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)’s “The Unsafe Driving Acts of Motorists in the Vicinity of Large Trucks”.
With his extensive experience in vehicle accident cases, Attorney James Bendell, Idaho personal injury attorney, will investigate negligence in a commercial truck accident or any other type of personal injury case. Contact us through the website or call our office at for a free consultation on your injury case.