Managing Partner
Truck accidents are extremely common—and extremely dangerous. In fact, accidents involving commercial trucks are far more likely to result in serious injuries and fatalities than those involving other types of vehicles. These injuries translate into major medical bills, lost wages, and more.
Fortunately, by taking precautions, it’s possible to drastically reduce your odds of being involved in an accident with a semi-truck. It starts with understanding the top causes of these crashes. The Long Island personal injury attorneys of Dell & Dean PLLC take a look.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Truck accidents don’t just happen. In most cases, they are the result of an avoidable mistake that amounts to legal negligence. Common causes include:
Driver error
By some estimates, driver error is around 10 times more likely to cause a truck accident than any other factor. Anything that amounts to irresponsible or negligent conduct could cause a serious wreck. There are many examples of driver error, including:
- Driving while fatigued
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Poor judgment (e.g. while making a sharp turn)
- Speeding
- Reckless and aggressive driving
- Disregarding traffic signs and controls
Lack of training
Long Island trucking companies are required to train and properly supervise their drivers. However, in an effort to cut costs, boost profits, and quickly get drivers out on the road, companies often cut corners in this area. An untrained driver is likely to make a mistake that could cost lives or result in permanent disabilities.
Equipment failure
Trucking companies and truckers are also required to maintain their vehicles. Many fail to do so or turn a blind eye to problems with the rigs. Common types of equipment failures that lead to truck accidents include:
- Poorly maintained or faulty brakes
- Worn or defective tires
- Missing or defective safety equipment
- Defective lights
- Transmission failure
- Component defects
Cargo shifts
Cargo cannot simply be loaded onto a truck; it must be carefully placed to avoid shifting during a trip. It should also be balanced so that a tip-over accident does not occur. Cargo loading companies are often responsible for irresponsibly loading cargo, although the trucking company may be liable as well.
Poor weather
Bad weather is nothing new to Long Island, but it should prompt everyone – especially truck drivers – to use abundant caution. Failure to adjust one’s driving to inclement weather conditions could quickly result in a deadly pile-up accident. It may also expose maintenance issues with the truck, such as worn tires.
Who Else May Be Responsible?
Although truck drivers, trucking companies, and cargo loading companies may be liable for an accident, the common causes of accidents extend to other potential parties as well. Here are some examples of others who could be held responsible:
- Truck and parts manufacturers: Drivers and trucking companies must inspect their rigs, but the actual problem could point to a design or manufacturing defect with the truck.
- Maintenance and inspection services: Third-party services sometimes inspect and maintain trucks, but poor service could jeopardize safe operation of the trucks.
- Other drivers: Negligent motorists put everyone at risk, and their actions could trigger a major crash involving a large commercial truck.
- Businesses that serve alcohol: If a drunk driver causes a truck accident, liability may point to a Long Island bar or restaurant that served the driver too much alcohol.
- Pedestrians and bicyclists: Other individuals who use the roads and cross streets, such as pedestrians and bicyclists, can negligently cause a crash.
- Government: The government is generally responsible for road work, so negligent work may indicate liability on the part of a city or state.
- Construction companies: Contractors, subcontractors, and others tasked with the road work can also be liable in some cases.
Avoiding Truck Accidents
Our goal at Dell & Dean PLLC is to not only help people when they’ve been hurt, but advise them on ways to minimize future risks. Here are a few steps you can take to avoid a Long Island truck accident:
Stay out of trucks’ blind spots
Commercial trucks have large blind spots, most notably to the right and rear of the vehicle but also on the mid-left side and right front corner. As a driver, it’s imperative to avoid remaining in these blind spots. Instead, when passing a commercial truck, you should do so quickly and safely.
Be careful when changing lanes and braking
In addition, you should be extremely careful when changing lanes and braking around semi-trucks. Commercial trucks can take as much as three times the distance to come to a stop as a car or other passenger vehicle. If you brake too quickly in front of a truck, it may not be able to slow down in time to avoid hitting you.
Avoid maneuvering behind a reversing truck
Trucks can take several attempts to successfully reverse, and the driver’s visibility will be limited. This makes the situation potentially dangerous for anyone close by. If you are in the vicinity of a reversing truck, you should remain patient and avoid trying to maneuver behind it.
Leave room for trucks to merge or change lanes
Finally, when a truck has its turn signal on, you should leave plenty of room for the driver to complete the turn. Blocking a turning truck’s path and trying to race by before it can complete the turn are recipes for disaster.
How Our Law Firm Can Help
We understand the above (and other) causes of large truck accidents. When you retain our dedicated personal injury attorneys to represent you, we get to work by:
- Investigating how the truck accident happened
- Obtaining evidence and identifying all liable parties
- Determining the value of your economic and non-economic damages
- Negotiating a fair settlement with the at-fault parties’ insurance companies
- Retaining expert witnesses, such as accident reconstructionists
- Taking your case to trial if a fair settlement cannot be reached
Contact a Long Island and New York Truck Accident Attorney
If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, you should explore your legal options with Dell & Dean, PLLC. When you retain us to help with your case, we will devise a legal strategy to aggressively seek compensation on your behalf. Contact us to arrange a meeting with a knowledgeable Long Island truck accident attorney.
