Drivers have to share the roads in Georgia with large commercial trucks. Most truck drivers do their jobs responsibly, but terrible accidents can occur when truckers act recklessly. A large study of two-vehicle accidents involving trucks by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found that speeding and brake failures were the leading reasons behind crashes caused by truck drivers.
The Large Truck Crash Causation Study published an analysis of 963 accidents that included injuries or death. Among these cases, researchers determined that truck drivers had been blamed for 44% of the wrecks. Speeding represented the main cause for 23% of those crashes with at-fault truck drivers. Speeding took the form of exceeding the posted speed limit or going too fast for conditions. Regardless of the posted speed limit, truck drivers should reduce their speed on highways to 40 mph on a wet road and 30 mph on a snowy road.
In addition to monitoring speed compared to road conditions, truck drivers rely on their brakes to avoid accidents. Among the accidents caused by trucks, 29% of them involved trucks with bad brakes. Although speeding and brake problems represented the top concerns, drivers lacking familiarity with their routes came in a close third with insufficient route knowledge contributing to 22% of truck-caused crashes.
The weight and size of commercial vehicles make them more likely to inflict serious injuries on accident victims. A person seeking compensation from a trucking company might encounter an insurer that tries to limit the company’s liability. The representation of an attorney knowledgeable about truck wrecks might improve a person’s chances of collecting an adequate settlement. An attorney may investigate the truck driver’s compliance with traffic law and trucking regulations. Any evidence of violations might support a lawsuit that overcomes an insurer’s attempt to deflect responsibility.