What Are the Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents in New York City?
Accidents involving trucks and large rigs are often catastrophic, leaving drivers and passengers in the smaller and more exposed vehicles with devastating injuries. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) conducted a causation study showing multiple causes for truck accidents in the nation, many of them caused by the human behind the wheel of the truck.
According to FMCSA, fatigue, alcohol, and speeding were the main factors most likely to cause a truck accident. Although trucking authorities have put many safety measures in place over the years to cut down on these accidents, unfortunately, they have had little effect. In New York City, the following represent the most common truck accidents we see involving large trucks. If you’ve been in a truck accident in Brooklyn or anywhere in New York City, it is important to speak with an experienced truck accident lawyer. Call D. Davydov Truck Accident Lawyer today (929) 412-1807
Fatigue
The most common cause of trucking accidents, overall, in the city as well as the nation, is driver fatigue. Drivers of large trucks are on tight schedules demanding that they put in many hours behind the wheel. Despite regulations set to ensure against driver fatigue, they still are pressured to meet deadlines that are often unreasonable, and are left to operate their large vehicles with little sleep. Many times, a driver has caused an accident because they have fallen asleep while actively driving.
Drug or Alcohol Impairment
Drug and alcohol use among truck drivers is a large problem. The abuse of illicit and prescription drugs and alcohol, impairing a driver’s coordination, judgment, and reaction time, has led to many deadly crashes on our roads.
Driver Distraction
Distraction now rivals drunk driving as the cause of accidents on the nation’s roads and highways. Truck drivers often turn to their electronic devices to alleviate boredom when driving long and tedious roadways. It only takes a second for a truck driver to lose control over a large rig, often leading to disastrous consequences.
Driver Error and Inattention to Traffic Laws
Many New York City truck accidents are caused by the driver failing to implement safety rules and basic traffic laws, including following too closely, failing to yield, making unsafe lane changes, speeding, and unsafe backing.
Poor Driver Training and Truck Maintenance
Trucking companies are under intense pressure to get goods to their destination. That often leads to putting poorly trained drivers behind the wheel of poorly maintained vehicles. Although companies are required to fulfill requirements set out by the industry for training and maintenance, the cost and potential downtime eats into profits — and is one of the top causes of truck accidents in New York today.
Technical Issues and Vehicle Malfunctions
Some truck accidents are due to the truck itself in its inherent design, loading, and how it must be maneuvered on the road. These can include blowouts, rollovers, shifting cargo, and accidents caused by a driver’s blind spots and need to make wide turns.
Seeking the Advice of a New York City Truck Accident Lawyer
If you have been involved in a truck accident in New York City, you should get experienced legal advice. Claims for truck accidents are extremely complicated with many moving parts and potential defendants, often pointing the finger of blame at the other.
Contact the experienced New York City truck accident attorneys at The Law Offices of Denis Davydov to discuss your accident and understand your legal rights to compensation for your injuries.
