Types of Trucking Accidents

Lane Change Collisions

32% of all truck accidents occur when another vehicle runs out of road while merging, or when transferring paths. Frequently the drivers of the two vehicles don’t see each other or communicate the lane change, and they collide with each other or get run off the road into ditches, embankments, or rails.

Loss of Control

Truck drivers, lose control of their vehicles when they are driving too fast for their load weight. Sometimes the load isn’t adequately tied down, and it will shift, causing loss of control. Other times the road conditions, like snow, rain, and ice, play a role in 29% of these types of collisions.

Rear Enders

22% of the time, a truck runs into the back end of the truck or vehicle in front of them. Again, this can be from traveling too fast and too close to the auto in front of them. Or, another main reason for rear ending someone is a mechanical failure such as a flat tire or poorly maintained brakes.

Reasons for truck accidents

The driver of the semi-truck is at fault some of the time. When they are at fault, the reasons are coded as follows:

• Non-performance – When the driver of the tractor-trailer isn’t performing their duties for one reason or another, non-performance is blamed. This could mean they had a heart attack, fell asleep, had a seizure, or another factor out of their control.
• Non-recognition – This means the driver wasn’t paying attention when the accident occurred. They didn’t recognize that an accident was going to happen. The accident happened because they were inattentive, couldn’t see clearly enough, or was distracted by something.
• Wrong decision – When your job is based on a million decisions a year, human beings inevitably make the wrong decision occasionally. For example, driving too fast for the weather or chose to pick a lane with too much overtaking traffic.
• Performance – Like bad decisions, bad performance is making the right decision, but not having the skills or abilities to perform the correct choice. For example, the driver panicked, angled improperly, or backup up too fast while parking.

How can we help with your truck accident?

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