Common Causes of Truck Accidents

An accident involving an 18 wheeler is much different that any other vehicle accident. Just from the sheer size of the vehicle, much more damage is done even in a “minor” accident. There are many causes for 18 wheeler accidents, this article will give an overview of the more common causes of truck accidents. 

One common cause of truck accidents, that can actually put the fault on the driver of a smaller vehicle, is not staying out of a truck's blind spots. These blind spots are also called the no-zone. Truck drivers have limited visibility. An 18 wheeler driver's positioning is elevated. There are areas behind and beside the truck that the driver has zero visibility in. The rule of thumb is if you can't see the driver in his side mirrors, he can't see you. When maneuvering near an 18 wheeler, always make sure you can see the driver in his side mirrors and you will avoid one of the very common causes of truck accidents that will not only lead to your being at fault for the accident, but could result in serious injury or death.

One of the most common causes of truck accidents is excessive speed. Drivers tend to drive much faster than they should because they are saddled with not only unrealistic deadlines set by the company, but federal laws that require a 10 hour downtime with no more than 13 hours on the road. This combination makes it very difficult for them to maintain their given time frames for their deliveries and maintain their steady routes. The reason this is one of the most common causes of truck accidents is because it leads into other common causes of truck accidents.

With the higher speeds, it brings into play of driving aggressively as a common cause of truck accidents. Shorter allowable times on the road and tight deadlines set the stage for following too closely and passing other vehicles in unsafe situations to make up time. This in itself makes the fact that 18 wheelers take much longer to come to a stop, or even slow down to avoid an accident a common cause of truck accidents.

To reduce these three common causes of truck accidents, many companies have begun putting speed governors on the trucks. Governors stop the vehicle from exceeding set speeds. Once the truck reaches the speed set in the governor, the accelerator won't engage and the truck will maintain the set speed. While these have helped to avoid these common causes of truck accidents, they are not federally mandatory and many companies have not instituted their use.