Why Truck Drivers Speed So Frequently

Speeding is, hands down, the most common cause of truck accidents, and it’s easy to see why. Trucks are already ungainly, immense vehicles, and with the addition of heavy cargo, they end up with extremely limited abilities to steer or decelerate suddenly, on top of a notably high rollover rate. Swiveling cargo trailers also create a risk for jackknifing, wherein a rear trailer veers in a separate direction from the truck cabin, as it carries excess speed of its own.

The Likelihood of Speeding

Speeding is, of course, dangerous for any vehicle, yet trucks are most at risk by far. Although many people assume that truckers are responsible, experienced drivers who wouldn’t dare speed, in reality, that idea is far from the truth. The FMCSA’s trucker violation statistics are quite telling in this regard, outlining a few key statistics for speeding truckers annually:

• 50,000 truckers speed 6-10 mph over the speed limit.
• 25,000 truckers speed 11-14 mph over the speed limit.
• 16,000 truckers exceed 15 mph over the speed limit.

So why does all this speeding happen? The simplest possible explanation is that overeager or overburdened truck drivers tend to speed. With tight delivery schedules and a desire to perform well, many truckers will cut as much time out of their route as possible, including via excessive speeding. Similarly, truckers may violate the FMCA’s trucker hours of service regulations out of a desire to work overtime reduce downtime, resulting in drowsy truck drivers who may fail to control the speed of their vehicle.

Additionally, let’s consider the fact that “speeding” doesn’t necessarily mean exceeding the speed limit in this context, since the speed limit is oftentimes too fast for trucks—poor weather conditions, construction zones, and dangerous roads (such as downhill, sharp turns) already demand caution and slow speeds from larger vehicles, so when a truck decides to speed in these scenarios, rollovers, loss of control, and even runaway truck scenarios become especially likely.

Proving Speeding in Arizona Truck Accidents

If you suspect that a trucker was speeding at the time of your accident, there are multiple sources you can look to for strong evidence:

• The truck’s black box is, hands down, the most accurate, clear way to prove that a trucker was speeding, as it’ll contain accurate velocity data from before and during the collision.
• Security cameras can provide secondary evidence of a truck’s general speed and behavior, as can other video devices such as the phones of eyewitnesses or dashcams.
• Eyewitness accounts, while less exact, can be relevant if a trucker was speeding in such excess that it was blatant and concerning for others who saw, although these testimonies should be handled carefully due.

An Arizona truck accident attorney can help you gather all of this evidence and more, proving that a truck driver’s reckless speeding was to blame for your accident and potentially life-altering injuries. By giving ELG a call at (623) 877-3600, you can schedule a free consultation with a professional who cares, ensuring that justice is served and you receive as much compensation as possible.