Arlington, TX Truck Accident Lawyer

Causes of Tractor Trailer Collisions

It’s important to know what could cause a wreck with an 18 wheeler so that you can potentially avoid a collision when you notice one of these situations happening. If you couldn’t avoid a crash with a tractor trailer because of someone else’s negligence, then you might be dealing with the aftermath of injuries and other damages. Because of the drastic size and weight difference, those injuries and damages might change your life.

While the causes of large truck wrecks are similar to the causes of car accidents, they’re slightly different because tractor trailers take extra care and training to drive and maintain. Here are some of the most common causes of truck crashes in Arlington:

• Driver Error. Just like regular drivers, truck drivers can also make mistakes behind the wheel. Even though they have ample training and certifications, truckers still make errors that could lead to an accident. Getting distracted, failing to make safety checks, or just making a general driving mistake can all lead to a serious collision between a truck and another vehicle.
• Drunk Driving. Truck drivers sometimes turn to drugs and alcohol while they’re on the road. When they get inebriated and then get behind the wheel, this can have deadly consequences since they’re driving large, heavy trucks.
• Fatigued Trucker. Trucker drive long hours on highways, which can get exhausting. Even though they have to follow certain regulations for how long they can drive at a time and how long they have to rest, they can still get fatigued. This can greatly affect their driving and cause accidents because they don’t have the same reactions when they’re so tired.
• Speeding. Just like with any vehicle, when a large truck speeds, their reaction time slows, and they require even more space to come to a complete stop. If they reach an obstacle, even the smallest movement to go around or avoid it could cause them to lose control of the truck.
• Overloaded Trailer. The trailer section of the truck holds all of the cargo that they’re transporting. When it’s loaded, it needs to be evenly distributed and weighed to make sure that it’s not overloading each axle. When there’s too much weight on each axle or on the hitch, it can cause one of the parts to break. If it’s loaded unevenly, it could tip the trailer or make it sway.
• Negligent Company. The trucking company could also be at fault if they were negligent in any way. If they didn’t inspect the rig before it pulled off the lot, then they could be the ones who didn’t pay close enough attention to the safety of the truck driver and others on the road.
• Defective Part. Even if everyone else is careful and pays attention to safety, sometimes a defective part could be what causes an 18 wheeler accident. When the brakes, tires, or another part on the truck malfunctions, it could lead to the driver losing control and crashing into other vehicles on the road.
• Bad Weather. Even though we typically have warm, sunny days in Arlington, sometimes we can have bad weather too. Rain, snow, ice, and strong winds can all cause truckers to have a difficult time controlling their rigs and lead to serious collisions.
• Bad Roads. When roads aren’t well taken care of, or they’re under construction, that can cause trucks to get into accidents because drivers lose control or parts of their cab and trailer break down from them.