Things You Might Not Know About Truck Accidents

Some details of truck accidents are self-evident or widely understood, yet a surprising amount of misconceptions about these lethal collisions have found their way into media and general knowledge. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with some of the most common things people don’t know about truck accidents.

The Driver Might Not Be At Fault

After a truck accident in Arizona, most motorists direct blame towards the trucker themselves before a thorough investigation has been conducted; however, a variety of other parties could be to blame for the crash. Trucking companies often pressure truckers into dangerous activities, maintenance crews or cargo loaders may act negligently, and other third-party companies could be directly responsible for your crash, making the trucker as innocent a victim as you.

Truck Driver Impairment Is Surprisingly Common

Due to the amount of training and experience most truckers have, most motorists assume them to be responsible, safety-minded individuals who would never drive while impaired. For many, this is true, yet truck driver impairment still strikes for a variety of reasons:

• Despite strict industry regulations on the number of hours a trucker can drive and the amount of sleep they need to get, drowsy truck drivers are a common sight on America’s roads, as many choose to ignore federal regulations to maximize their income with overtime.
• Trucking companies tend to fight back against industry regulations that would mandate driver-facing cameras, leaving many truckers free to text or engage in other potentially lethal distractions while driving.
• Arizona’s trucker BAC limit is 0.04%, sitting at half of the average motorist’s limit of 0.08%. This limitation is usually quite effective, resulting in some 1,000 trucking accidents according to a study by the FMCSA on the causes of truck accidents—yet instead, almost 30 times as many accidents are caused by over-the-counter and illegal drug impairment.

You Can’t Always See Truck Accidents Coming

Due to a truck’s size and ungainliness, many people assume that truck accidents are similar to the vehicles involved: slow, predictable, and avoidable if you just keep your distance. In some cases, it’s easy to tell when a truck crash might happen—if you’re on the right side of a right-turning truck, for example, you’re going to slam into them if you don’t stop immediately. Yet in practice, many truck accidents are complete blindsides, giving drivers little to no time to react. 

Brake failures are an overwhelming issue for trucks; while stopped at a light or otherwise slowing down, even if a truck behind you isn’t slowing down at all, it’s not uncommon to fail to notice until the last possible moment, or worse still, right as the truck blows through your vehicle. 

Similarly, accidents caused by unsecured cargo aren’t always predictable; you usually won’t be watching a precarious tower of equipment on an open cargo bed sway back and forth until something inevitably comes loose. Truckloads may seem extremely secure until the moment a mechanical failure occurs or the truck’s weight shifts, at which point your time to react will be exclusively based on your following distance.

You Can Win Against Arizona Truck Companies

Due to the severity of truck accidents, trucking companies have a lot to lose, meaning they’ll assuredly fight your claim every step of the way with the best attorneys they can find—yet that doesn’t mean that your outlook is hopeless. With the help of an experienced Arizona auto accident attorney, you can successfully build a strong case and secure the compensation you deserve, so give ELG a call at (623) 877-3600 to schedule a free consultation today.