Most semitruck drivers are responsible operators who follow the rules and deliver their cargo as safely as possible. However, some select drivers are cavalier, reckless and break every rule in the book. These drivers endanger other people on the road, and sometimes they cause fatal and catastrophic crashes.
Here are eight of the most common ways that negligent semitruck drivers cause catastrophic collisions:
- Poor training and hiring practices: Transportation companies have a legal obligation to train their drivers to safely operate their trucks. If a failure to provide the right training causes an accident, the transportation company could be liable for damages.
- Negligent maintenance: In order to safely navigate traffic and avoid an accident, a semitruck must be maintained in a way that complies with safety standards.
- Defective trucks, parts and equipment: If a truck or its components are defectively manufactured or designed and it’s not operating properly, no amount of safety training, no amount of safe driving practices and no amount of maintenance will be enough to prevent a crash.
- Overloaded trailers and unbalanced cargo: When loaded improperly in an unbalanced way, or when overloaded, semitruck trailers can get off kilter and cause a serious crash.
- Sleepy and fatigued driving: Semitruck drivers who continue to operate their vehicles when they are clearly too tired to do so cause numerous fatalities every year.
- Substance abuse and drunk driving: It can be lonely on the long haul. When truck drivers turn to substances for solace, and operate their vehicles while intoxicated, they are putting everyone at risk.
- Negligent and unlawful driving: The speed limits and rules of the road exist for a reason. When we follow them, we can avoid the majority of accidents.
Following any kind of injurious or deadly semitruck crash, injured parties — and their families — may want to investigate the incident to determine if one of the above reasons or another reason was to blame for the incident. If so, the semitruck driver and his or her employer could be liable for financial damages stemming from the incident.