The Most Common Causes Of Truck Accidents In Texas

The Most Common Causes Of Truck Accidents In Texas

When the number of truck accidents occurring in 2014 was published by the U.S. Department of Transportation the number was 333,000. Almost 4,000 of these accidents resulted in a fatality. Texas was on the top of the list with 543 accidents involving trucks that resulted in a fatality. There are laws requiring all trucks to be inspected on a regular basis and maintained properly. The purpose of these laws is to protect the people on the roads, but they must be adhered to in order to have an effect. There are five major causes of truck accidents in Texas.

Proper Maintenance

One of the main causes of truck accidents are engines, braking systems, and tires that have not been properly maintained. Although some of these accidents can be attributed to an error in manufacturing most are caused by neglecting maintenance. When your brakes are thousands of miles past maintenance they will malfunction. Wear and tear can cause your tire to have a blow-out. If you do not maintain your transmission it will fail. You are responsible if an accident occurs due to these conditions.

Loading

The way you load your truck is critical and if not performed properly can easily result in an accident. The weight of your cargo must be correctly secured and evenly distributed. Improperly loaded cargo can cause you to lose control of your truck or jackknife resulting in a severe accident and you will be responsible for the damages.

Driver Training

You must have the required training to drive a truck. These courses will teach you how to handle your truck to ensure not only your safety but the safety of all the drivers on the road. Although experience is important it takes time and safety is critical. You must follow all the rules of the road and pay extra attention when the weather is a factor to avoid an accident.

Road Fatigue

Driving a truck requires long hours behind the wheel. The limits placed on how many hours you can legally drive and mandatory breaks are for your safety. When you become overly fatigued behind the wheel your reflexes are not as sharp and you may not see a potential hazard until it is too late. Driving while fatigued is a serious risk.

Driving While Distracted

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has shown 88 percent of all truck accidents are a direct result of an error by the driver. Driving a truck is exhausting and involves a long workday. Distractions including the radio, cell phones, drinking, and eating while drive must be avoided.

An Austin Truck Accident Lawyer

If you have been hurt in a truck accident in Austin involving a truck and believe the truck driver is at fault you need to contact a lawyer. The cause of the accident must be determined and a lawyer is experienced in this area. An Austin Truck Accident Lawyer has the necessary resources available for a full investigation. They can reconstruct your accident to determine any contributing factors resulting in the crash. They have the ability to determine which driver was at fault and assemble the required defense or prosecution strategy.