Dallas Truck Crash Attorney

Texas Trucking Accident Causes Law Firm

At the law office of attorney Jerry D. Andrews P.C. in Dallas, Texas, we have handled many trucking accident cases. The trucking industry has multiple federal regulations they must comply with, including keeping driving logs, load restrictions, and mandatory drug and alcohol testing. When these regulations are not adhered to, accidents can occur.

Contact Truck Accident lawyer Jerry D. Andrews for a free initial consultation to discuss your truck accident case.

The following are common causes of trucking accidents:

Tired Drivers

Tired drivers are one of the most common trucking accident causes. A sleep-deprived driver can be just as impaired as one under the influence of alcohol, not to mention as dangerous. Federal regulations mandate strict limitations on the amount of time truck drivers can stay behind the wheel and how many rest breaks they must take. Truck drivers have more than just a responsibility to get the rest that they need. They have an obligation to themselves, their employer, and every driver on the road.

Dangerous Driving

Time is money for truck drivers and the companies that employ them. This translates into truck drivers traveling at excessive and unsafe speeds in an attempt to get to their destinations more quickly. A speeding truck careening down a highway is a dangerous weapon. Most passenger vehicles cannot withstand a collision with one of these big rigs. In a split second on a slippery or busy highway, tragedy can occur. Couple this reckless behavior with unsafe passing, improper lane changes, and ignoring blind spots, and you have a recipe for disaster.

Drug Use

The need to get to their destination quickly causes some truck drivers to use legal and illegal stimulant drugs—such as caffeine pills and speed—to stay awake. These drugs can impair a driver just as much as alcohol and sleep deprivation. Additionally, a driver using stimulants is likely violating regulations related to time on the road, mandatory rest breaks, and narcotic use.

Dangerous Condition of Equipment

Often weighing in at over 40,000 pounds and over 50 feet long, trucks are behemoths of the road. Many trucking companies attempt to squeeze profits out by putting off needed vehicle repairs and putting trucks on the road with bad brakes, bad tires, bad reflective material on the trailers, and other missing or defective essential safety items. The result is already dangerous vehicles become ticking time bombs on the road, putting your safety at risk.

Hiring Bad Drivers

When there are more open positions for truck drivers than there are qualified drivers, exceptions are made and certain information from personal records and background checks may be overlooked, including past felony convictions, prior drug use, and poor driving records. A truck driver must be properly trained, knowledgeable about trucking rules and regulations, and have a clean driving record without excessive accidents, traffic violations, and drunk driving offenses. When these hiring standards are not met, the well-being of other drivers is placed in danger.

Distracted Drivers

Driving an 18-wheeler requires 100% attention on the operation of the vehicle and what is happening on the road at all times. The use of a cell phone or on-board computer takes that attention away. When a driver is distracted, serious and deadly accidents can occur.

At the law office of Jerry D. Andrews P.C., we recognize these trucking accident causes and their potential for injury and death. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact our truck accident law offices today.