Whether they are traveling the highways or around the city on local streets, commercial trucks are involved in accidents with passenger vehicles and other motor vehicles every day in the United States. There are many different factors that cause truck accidents, but the majority of accidents are caused by driver error. Mechanical defects can also be a cause or a contributing factor to a commercial truck accident. Given the fact that there are so many different types of commercial trucks that are used under lots of different circumstances, there will be almost countless different types of truck accidents.
Common types of truck accidents
There are dozens of different kinds of commercial trucks on the roadways today. Each truck has a different job to do, but what they all have in common is their massive size and their ability to inflict catastrophic harm to smaller, passenger vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians with whom they must share the road. Some of the different types of truck accidents include:
- Flatbed truck accidents. Flatbed trucks do not have a compartment, so the loads they carry sit on the flat bed of the truck and must be carefully secured so that the weight of the cargo does not shift and cause the truck to tip and cause an accident.
- Box delivery truck accidents. Box trucks are commonly used to make package deliveries in neighborhoods and in commercial districts. These tall, wide trucks have blind spots which do not allow the driver to see when another vehicle is trying to overtake them quickly especially on the right side. Box truck drivers who are making local deliveries are up against tight deadlines, so they might drive a bit faster than they should and a bit more aggressively than is safe for the situation, which can cause an accident.
- Trash truck accidents. Garbage trucks are tall and wide and heavy, which makes them challenging to maneuver on city streets and suburban neighborhoods. They pose a danger to pedestrian and bicyclists because they have blind spots where the driver is unable to see what is coming up from behind them.
- Dump truck accidents. Dump trucks are another type of big truck that can become unbalanced and tip. A big dump truck can cause a terrible accident if its contents spill, while not suffering much damage to itself at all.
- Cement truck accidents. The drum on a concrete truck that holds the cement rotates while the truck is in motion. These trucks are huge and unwieldy, and they are a challenge to operate either on city streets or on the highway. When these big trucks end up in an accident they can cause serious injuries and property damage.
Causes of commercial truck accidents
Human error or negligence is the cause of most motor vehicle accidents. When the driver is not giving 100 percent of their attention to the task of driving, they can end up causing an accident. Drunk driving, distracted driving, drowsy driving, speeding and lack of training are all forms of negligence on the part of the driver. Mechanical problems, unbalanced loads, defective equipment can be attributed to inadequate maintenance, which is also the driver's responsibility.
If you have been injured in an accident with a commercial truck whether you were driving a passenger vehicle or you were a pedestrian or cyclist, you may be able to take legal action against the driver and the owner of the commercial vehicle. There are civil remedies available which allow you to recover damages that will compensate you for your losses.
You may contact an experienced commercial truck accident attorney at Crandall & Pera Law, who will discuss your case with you and answer your questions. Contact us today for a free consultation in Ohio and Kentucky.