What are the most common causes of truck accidents?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration conducted a massive study on truck crash causation, and what they found is pretty startling. Almost all trucking accidents are caused by driver error.

Outside of that, the most common causes of truck accidents include vehicle malfunctions and environmental factors.

If you’ve recently been involved in a truck crash, determining what caused the incident is critical to moving forward with any potential insurance or personal injury claim. In general, you can seek reimbursement when someone else caused the incident, and they had a legal duty to care for your safety. We’ll get into more details below about the most common causes of truck accidents and what they mean for your potential case.

Driver-Related Causes

The leading cause of truck accidents is driver error. Truck drivers might fall short, or a mistake on the part of another driver could cause a crash.

Driver error includes both unintentional errors and willful negligence. Truck drivers can cause accidents because of failure to signal, failure to check mirrors and follow protocols while changing lanes, following other drivers too closely, speeding, or simply failing to follow traffic signs. 

Driver-related truck accident causes often involve other things, like a lack of driver training, driver fatigue from working too many hours in a row, or a violation of safety standards.

Drowsy driving is deadly. You've probably heard the saying that tired driving is as bad as drunk driving. Clinical studies show that being awake for 17 or 19 hours is comparable to having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05%.

For comparison, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) flags drunk drivers as having a BAC of .08 or higher. With longer periods of sleep deprivation, performance reaches levels equivalent to a BAC of 0.1%. Factors like tight schedules and pay structures can actually encourage professional truck drivers to drive longer hours than would be considered safe. Some may also block off inadequate time for rest between hauls. For drivers on the road, that equals serious risks for deadly motor vehicle accidents.

It's no surprise that fatigue is one of the leading truck accident causes. Drowsy driving leads to impaired judgment and decision-making, slower reaction times, and decreased alertness. Sleep-deprived truck drivers can even fall into "microsleeps" that cause them to shift lanes or fail to brake when necessary.

Some drivers also cause accidents when they decide to drive while under the influence. Substance abuse clouds a driver’s mind and judgment, making a collision more likely.

In general, driver errors are divided into four categories:

• Non-performance – the driver wasn’t able to drive and perform properly;
• Recognition – the driver was unable to accurately assess the traffic situation;
• Decision – the driver’s choices directly contributed to or caused the traffic situation;
• Performance – the driver was unable to accurately respond to the traffic situation.

The FMCSA study revealed that the biggest problem drivers seem to face is their own decisions, which contribute to them getting in the crash. Decision-related crashes made up 38% of all driver-error truck crashes.

Environmental and Road Conditions

Another factor that contributes to truck and motor vehicle crashes is environmental and road conditions. On an accident report, this type of cause might be identified by causes like improper signage, slippery roadway, fog, rain, snow, damaged roadways, or malfunctioning traffic signals.

When the environment is the leading cause of the accident, it’s difficult to attribute liability to anyone. When road conditions are a factor, however, you might have recourse from the agency or government body responsible for maintaining the road.

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The FMCSA study recognized that only about 3% of truck accidents are the result of environmental factors.

Vehicle Failures

Another one of the most common truck accident causes is when a vehicle fails. Equipment failure or a mechanical breakdown will cause a car or truck to act in unexpected ways, making it impossible for a driver to maintain control. According to the FMCSA study, around 10% of truck accidents are directly caused as a result of vehicular issues.

If part failure or some vehicle-related cause contributed to your crash, then it’s important to fully investigate what happened and your options. Sometimes, the failure is the result of negligence, as we will explain below. 

Improper vehicle maintenance

Failure to properly inspect or maintain vehicles is another of the top truck accident causes. This can happen for a variety of reasons. Trucking companies may lack the skilled staff necessary to complete maintenance work. They may also skip essential routine maintenance or allow trucks to get past their mileage recommendations for certain updates as part of cost-cutting measures. Unfortunately, this can lead to issues like faulty brakes, broken turn signals, engine issues, or failures within the electrical system that can cause accidents on the road.

Improperly loaded or secured cargo

It's everyone's worst nightmare: having a heavy object fly at your car after slipping from the bed of a truck. Yes, unsecured cargo can fall into traffic. However, improperly secured loads can also cause accidents in more surprising ways. For example, improperly loaded cargo can shift weight within the truck's cargo box to cause a jackknife or roll over.

A trucking company may try to save time by loading a truck beyond its weight capacity. Truck overloading puts excess strain on the truck's components to cause brake failure, tire blowouts, and other problems. It also reduces driver control. Driver or truck company negligence happens when an oversized or imbalanced load is added to a truck. Additionally, a load should be properly secured with appropriate restraints.

Other Contributing Factors

While the most common causes of truck accidents are listed above, there are other contributing factors that could lead to an accident. For instance, unconscionable trucking company priorities could subtly influence and encourage employees to skirt safety regulations, avoid pretrip inspection requirements, and even meet unrealistic schedules that cause them to lie about their hours.

There are many causes of truck accidents that don't get as much attention. 

• Increasingly, distractions on the road are contributing to truck accidents.
• Screen use in the truck cab while driving is a major risk factor.
• In addition, inadequate training, not enforcing rules for taking driver breaks, and route confusion among drivers can all be factors in truck accidents.
• Some trucking companies try to cut costs by hiring unqualified drivers.
• You could also be the victim of road rage from a truck driver who retaliates after believing that you've cut them off on the road. 

If you think there are other factors that should be considered in your trucking accident case, then consulting with a personal injury lawyer can help you determine what to do next. Here at Kermani LLP, our lawyers will work on identifying exactly what happened and who might be responsible based on the facts.

How to Reduce the Risk of Truck Accidents

Now that you know more about what causes truck accidents, you can make better driving decisions to reduce the risk of being involved in one. Since driver error is the leading cause, you can do your part to reduce accidents by always remaining as vigilant as possible when you’re on the road.

Another great tip everyone should follow is to always use the proper safety equipment and follow the proper safety rules. Truckers have extensive regulations they have to follow that dictate how long they can work, how long they should rest, and what types of safety measures they need to take. Adhering closely to these rules makes the roadway safer for everyone.

How to Navigate a Truck Accident that Leads to Injuries

If you get involved in an accident, the first thing you need to do is contact the police. Crash reporting is essential to preserve your rights, plus the police will also alert medical emergency responders to come to the scene and provide immediate medical care if necessary. If your injuries are severe, then get treatment ASAP.

Once the aftermath is settled, get in touch with a truck accident law firm about your next steps. They can help you determine your legal options based on what happened.

Contact Kermani LLP Today

Have you experienced a truck accident that resulted in significant injuries? Talking to a reputable trucking accident attorney can help you get a better understanding of your legal rights and responsibilities after a crash.

In general, the best way to get answers is to ensure a thorough investigation is conducted and the cause of your crash is identified. Once that’s taken care of, you’ll need to secure the right evidence that backs up your arguments and proves your losses. From there, you’ll file an official claim and present your evidence to the responsible party.

Here at Kermani LLP, our team of skilled lawyers is prepared to help you every step of the way. Schedule a free case evaluation with our team now to learn more about our services.