Common Causes of Truck Accidents

As a geographically large nation with many regional industries, truck transportation has become an essential part of our national infrastructure. But because of their size and power, tractor-trailers also pose a serious danger to other motorists when drivers and transportation companies fail to operate their vehicles in a reasonably safe manner. When this results in a collision or other incident, the end result can be devastating.

To maximize efficiency and profits, it is common in the trucking industry for people and equipment to be pushed past their reasonable capabilities. That is why when investigating a collision involving a truck and determining a truck driver or carrier’s negligence, there are several potential causes an attorney should consider:

• Hours of service — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration strictly regulates the number of hours commercial operators may drive and requires them to keep logbooks as evidence of compliance.

• Driver training — Being a good truck driver can take more than just a commercial driver’s license. Some transport companies have turned to hiring underqualified drivers in order to cut costs.

• Equipment maintenance — Big rigs are mechanically complicated, operate under difficult conditions and may remain in service for many years. As such, routine maintenance is not only necessary for safety but also required by law.

• Loading and routing — A truck that is overloaded or incorrectly balanced can tip over or may be unable to stop within a reasonable distance. Likewise, truckers and trucking companies may create hazards by taking routes that are inappropriate to the size, weight and maneuverability of their vehicles.

If you or a loved one suffered injury in a serious truck accident in Long Island, Suffolk County or Nassau County, Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia’s experienced personal injury attorneys may be able to assist.