What Causes Truck Accidents

Truck accidents occur daily on the streets of Arizona. Due to the size of these commercial trucks, these accidents often result in serious injuries. The Arizona Department of Transportation reported a total of 2,247 truck accidents throughout the state of Arizona in 2018. These accidents accounted for 66 deaths in 2017. These trucks weigh so much more than the average vehicle which is why the accidents tend to be catastrophic. There are many different causes of truck accidents. Listed below are some common factors that contribute to the large semi-truck accidents. 

Impaired Driving

It is illegal in any state to drink alcohol or use drugs and drive. If you are caught driving impaired, you will face harsh consequences such as tickets, jail time, and community service time. Driving impaired is often a cause of semi-truck accidents and these accidents result in serious life-threatening injuries or fatalities. 

Driver Fatigue

Truck drivers are constantly pressured to reach tight deadlines and get packages delivered promptly. Sometimes these deadlines are unrealistic and truck drivers will have to compromise their sleep schedule to make sure they meet their deadlines. This means they often will drive throughout the night and their drowsiness continually increases. The drivers who don’t get a sufficient amount of sleep are not nearly as alert and their reaction times are much slower. Driving tired is often a cause of bad truck accidents because they are not as aware while driving on the roadways as they should be. 

Distracted Driving

There are so many distractions nowadays with cell phones and GPS devices. This has become a leading cause of accidents. Distracted driving is defined as any activity that takes the driver’s eyes off the road. Common activities are eating, switching the music, talking on the phone, grabbing something next to you, changing your GPS, texting someone, or talking to someone in the car. Truck drivers are at high risk of distracted driving because they spend long hours on the highway so they have nothing but time. They often will partake in trying to multitask which could lead to catastrophic accidents. 

Vehicle Failure

Sometimes the truck equipment will fail which is out of the driver’s control. They could experience brake failure or engine problems that could cause an accident. Often it can be difficult to find who is liable in this situation because it could be many different people. The trucking company could be responsible for not doing routine checkups and staying aware of their truck’s conditions. Another liable party could be the manufacturer because it is their job to make sure these trucks are safe when they are put on the roads. They could have replaced a brake with a faulty brake which would make them liable for that brake failure accident. 

Contact An Arizona Truck Accident Attorney

Truck accidents can be the cause of life-threatening injuries and cause a lot of stress in someone’s life. If you have sustained injuries in a truck accident, contact a truck accident attorney today. The Arizona truck accident attorneys at ELG can help you explore all of your legal options. Our team of determined truck accident attorneys will help you file a proper claim and fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact us today at  Phoenix or Mesa Arizona law offices at (623) 877-3600 to set up a consultation and see how we can assist you.