When large commercial trucks, especially tractor trailers, have accidents on the road, the consequences are often serious. The size and weight of the vehicles make them more dangerous than cars because they are harder to control; however, trucking accidents are not just caused by errors on the part of the truck driver. Drivers of passenger vehicles also cause accidents when they fail to treat large trucks with caution. The following are some of the top causes of Trucking Accidents in Glen Burnie.
Truck drivers cause Trucking Accidents in Glen Burnie when they drive poorly, ignoring safety precautions and defensive driving methods. This can result from poor training or simply bad judgment on the part of the driver. Bad driving habits may be exacerbated by pressure from the trucking company to make deliveries as fast as possible, which encourages truckers to drive at an unsafe speed. Furthermore, some trucking companies schedule their drivers to be on the road too many consecutive hours. Drivers may succumb to fatigue or use stimulants to stay alerted, but unfortunately, either condition can cause unsafe driving. Fatigued drivers can fall asleep on the road, while the effects of stimulants, like amphetamines or cocaine, can include increased risk-taking, poor attention, and lack of coordination.
The drivers of passenger vehicles, especially cars, and small trucks, are also responsible for a good number of Trucking Accidents in Glen Burnie. Car drivers often make the mistake of driving in a trucker’s blind spot. There are certain areas beside and behind a truck where the driver is not able to see a car; therefore, the car may be in the way when the truck attempts to make a lane change. Car drivers may also fail to realize that a huge, heavy vehicle like a tractor trailer needs a lot more time to stop than a small vehicle. Changing lanes or merging into traffic in front of a tractor trailer is very dangerous, especially if the traffic is slowing down. Other mistakes car drivers make include stopping a car on the side of the highway without moving completely off the road and passing a truck without enough headway.
Any driver who has been injured in a trucking accident should contact an attorney for an evaluation of the case. The advice from attorneys at Jaklitsch Law Group can help an accident victim move forward with the right decisions.
