Top 10 Causes for Tractor Trailer Accidents indicated that the behavior of truck drivers is the leading cause of tractor trailer accidents - more so than the conditions of the road, weather, or vehicle problems.

Tractor trailer accidents, like most automobile accidents, can often be avoided if the driver had been paying more attention to their environment or following driving laws. A study on large truck drivers conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration which sampled 967 crashes involving a large truck and at least one fatality or injury, indicated that the behavior of truck drivers is the leading cause of tractor trailer accidents - more so than the conditions of the road, weather, or vehicle problems. The actions or inactions of the truck driver accounted for 88% of the crashes.

Here is a list of the top 10 causes of tractor trailer accidents:

10)Driving Aggressively -accounts for 7% of large truck accidents. If a truck driver is in a hurry to make their delivery or return to their place of employment, they tend to drive more aggressively. These behaviors contribute to a large percentage of accidents on the road.

9)Inability to Take Action for getting out of the way - accoutns for 7% of large truck accidents. The size and weight of large trucks (over 10,000 pounds by definition) makes it difficult for the driver to get out of the way in a hurry. When they try to evade a potential accident or stop quick, they are generally unsuccessful and the result is an accident.

8) Driving while Distracted - this may involve cellular phone calls, texting, or any other outside distraction that takes the drivers eyes off the road. Distracted driving by large truckd rivers accounts for nearly 8% of accidents.

7) Illegal Lane Changes - nearly 9% of accidents involving large trucks involves the driver making a lane change without signalling or checking to make sure there are no cars in the lane they are moving to.

6) Driver Fatigue - nearly 13% of truck accidents are a result of the truck driver fatigue and the driver not getting enough rest.

5) Blind Spots - 14% of large truck accidents are due to the driver failing to check blind spots before moving their truck from lane to lane; or perhaps just the inability to see due to their size.

4) Drug Use (Over-the-Counter medications) - a surprising amount of large truck accidents, 18%, are caused by the drivers using over the counter medications that delay their reaction time and cause drowsiness.

3) Driving in Unfamiliar Territory - due to their size, if a truck driver is unfamiliar with the roads they're driving on, they can cause problems to other drivers and accidents. About 22% of accidents are caused by truck drivers being unfamiliar with the roadways.

2) Speed - just as driving too fast is a leading cause of fatal accidents in regular car accidents, when large truck drivers speed, they cause fatalities. Trucks can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds - when you add fast driving to the equation, there is little hope for survival. About 23% of large truck accidents are caused by excessive speed.

1) Drug Use - (Prescription) - the leading cause of truck accidents involve prescription drug use. Nearly 26% of truck accidents are caused by drivers having slower reaction times due to prescription medication they are taking.


Get Help

If you or someone you love is involved in an accident with a large truck, seek advice from White Plains accident lawyers to ensure you get the compensation you deserve for your personal injuries, pain and suffering.




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