Basic Facts About Truck Accidents
4 min read
A truck can move a large cargo from one point to another efficiently and that’s why they’re still preferred by many American companies despite an ever-increasing rate of truck accidents. Did you know that most truck accident casualties in America are never compensated? Whether a casualty is aware that they can recover damages for injuries or not, they should be compensated.
Personal injury is a branch of law that helps victims of accidents, including truck accidents, recover damages for their loss, which could be bodily injury or personal property. If you’ve been involved in a truck accident anywhere in Alaska, you should seek legal counsel from a truck accident lawyer in Bakersfield. An accident lawyer will evaluate your case and advise you accordingly. Even if you’re not a victim of a truck accident, you should at least know how to resolve truck accidents if they ever occur.
Common Causes Truck Accidents
The common causes of accidents in the trucking industry include:
- Driving without Resting
Operating a truck is not a simple task, and professional trucking comes with a lot of pressure. A trucker’s regular day involves driving long distances to deliver cargo, and a single trip could take days in some cases.
Many truckers cover long distances without resting to deliver cargo in the time allocated by their supervisors, but such survival tactics can catch up with them in the long run. The body rejuvenates itself when resting or sleeping. So, what happens to your body if you don’t rest or sleep if you’re a trucker?
- You’ll not be able to concentrate on driving;
- You can’t make sound judgment in the event of an accident;
- You can suddenly sleep while driving, risking an accident;
- You endanger your life and those of other road users;
- Sleep deprivation causes inefficiency; what you’re avoiding catches up with you.
The Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration requires truckers to take rest breaks after covering certain distances. This authority is tasked with preventing commercial motor vehicle-related deaths and injuries. Any person can file a complaint with the FMCSA if they have an issue with a trucker.
- Low Concentration
The concentration span of an ordinary person goes down when performing routine tasks or when doing a single task over long periods. Professional trucking involves a fixed routine where a trucker does the same thing each day, meaning they don’t have to focus their minds on driving every time they’re behind the wheel, which could be dangerous.
Personal issues, such as marital problems, employment issues, among others, can also affect a driver’s concentration. Your safety is more important than anything else as a trucker. Besides, you jeopardize the safety of other road users thanks to low concentration.
Speeding and Careless Overtaking
A trucker can be forced to drive recklessly to beat deadlines or deliver goods in time. Most movers will resort to overspeeding, overtaking carelessly, among other things to keep up with the designated schedule. Trucks are typically heavy and they easily lose control during emergencies.
Falling Cargo and Overloading
Cargoes should be loaded according to the safety guidelines recommended by the Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration. Loaders should consider the load size, weight, and distance to be covered, and the state of the truck to be used, to avoid instances of falling cargo. Human error and poor judgment can cause cases of overloading but such scenarios can be prevented by weighing a truck after cargo is loaded.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
Have you realized that most accident injuries affect certain body parts? In other words, various body parts have a higher risk of sustaining accident injuries. The following are common body parts with a higher risk of injuries in the event of a truck accident:
The Spine
The effects of spine injuries can be short-term, long-term, or last a lifetime. The body paralyzes temporarily if the spinal injury was minor, but in severe cases, spine injury can cause permanent paralysis or disability. The brain relays impulses and sends signals to the other organs of the body through the spine. Spine injuries affect the proper functioning of the body because the brain can’t relay signals properly when the spine is injured.
Head / Brain Injury
Head injuries can cause minor bruises, a concussion, or brain damage, depending on the severity of the head injury. Head injuries should be addressed immediately to establish whether the injury might have also caused brain injury. Treating brain injury is expensive and that is why you should hire a truck accident lawyer to help you recover damages.
If you’ve been involved in a truck accident in Alaska, you should prepare for medical invoices. This is the best time to consult your accident lawyer for legal representation and counsel.
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