Truck Accident Lawyer Canoga Park, CA
Accidents happen every single day on roads, residential streets and highways all across America. One of the most deadly types of collisions are those between a car driver and a commercial truck. These long, hefty vehicles can cause serious damage if they were to plow into a significantly smaller vehicle. A truck that may weigh around 80,000 pounds slamming into a 3,000 pound car can end in tragedy for both drivers. In most cases however, it is the car driver that endures the worst of the injuries.
Here in the article below, we have examined as to why these truly terrible accidents happen in the first place. Aren’t truckers always careful when in control of such a heavy vehicle? And why would a truck driver ever use a phone behind the wheel?
Please read on to find out more about what may be the root causes of commercial truck accidents. Any person who has been hit by a truck driver may want to seek medical attention immediately, and perhaps even obtain legal counsel from an experienced truck accident lawyer Canoga Park, CA residents rely on.
Distracted Driving
Truckers may drive while distracted for a variety of reasons. For one, they may be separated from their friends and family for a very long time. So, they may want to keep in touch regularly so they do not miss out on what is happening back home. A trucker may make phone calls or text while behind the wheel. This can be a very risky thing to do, as it only takes a fraction of a second for a crash to ensue if eyes are taken off the road. Secondly, truckers may become quite bored while on their journey to the delivery destination. They frequently have to parooze down straight, dull roads without much entertainment. The trucker may then daydream or even fall asleep due to the lack of mental stimulation.
The Pressure to Make Deadlines
Sometimes, truck drivers are under such pressure to meet their deadlines that they may speed down highways, and weave in and out of other cars in order to get ahead. By making moves in haste, a trucker may forget to turn on their signal or check the blind spots for potential vehicles. Brash and rapid movements from a big vehicle like a commercial truck, can be incredibly dangerous to others.
Truck Driver Fatigue
Along with the pressures of time constraints, a trucker may skip out on much needed sleep. A trucker needs as much energy and alertness as possible when it comes to maneuvering a commercial vehicle. If a truck driver does not get a decent night of sleep, they may be at risk for falling asleep behind the wheel. A trucker may experience what is referred to as microsleep, where the body goes into small episodes of sleep or rest that can last anywhere from a few seconds up to half a minute. A truck driver may not even realize this has happened until it is too late, when a horrible crash has unfolded.
Thank you to our friends and contributors at Barry P. Goldberg for their insight into personal injury and trucking accidents.