Causes of Truck Accidents and Potential Liable Parties
Unlike with car accidents, truck accidents can be caused by multiple different parties, including the driver. Depending on what the cause of the accident is, we can then determine who the liable party or parties are.
Potential liable parties for truck accidents and how they cause accidents include:
The Truck Driver
- Distracted driving is a common cause of any type of motor vehicle accident. But when a commercial semi-truck driver is distracted, they can pose a serious risk to everyone on the road.
- Drunk or high driving is unfortunately all too common among drivers of tractor-trailer trucks. Truckers have quotas to meet and may resort to using drugs such as amphetamines to stay awake, which affects their ability to drive safely.
- Speeding is another cause of truck accidents that result from trucker negligence. When a semitruck driver is too eager to finish a route, they may drive over a safe speed limit and put other vehicles on the road in danger.
Trucking Company
- Overscheduling drivers past legal limits causes truckers to become fatigued, which is a dangerous state for driving massive semi-trucks and tractor-trailer vehicles.
- Not checking and replacing recalled parts
- Hiring inexperienced drivers
- Not drug testing drivers
- Insufficient maintenance done on vehicles that are owned by the company is a common cause of truck accidents that can easily be avoided by trucking companies doing their due diligence. This type of negligence on the part of the truck company may make them liable for injuries caused in a truck accident.
Rental Company
- Not properly maintaining vehicles
- Not replacing recalled parts
Loading Company
- Unsecured cargo can result in debris falling into the road or else a lost load that puts drivers at risk for an accident. Companies that load trucks must take great care to ensure that the cargo is properly secured. If they don't, the loading company may be held liable for injuries caused by a lost load truck accident.
- Improper load distribution can lead to falling debris or rollovers
Manufacturer
- Defective parts, such as brakes, are a leading cause of truck accidents across the US. Manufacturers must be diligent about checking the quality of their products or else by held liable for an Orlando truck accident caused by defective products.