Five Common Causes of Dallas Truck Accidents

You would think that there would be fewer truck accidents in Texas because truck drivers are specifically trained to drive their vehicles and are screened and tested before they drive.

In addition, federal trucking regulations ensure that truckers do not drive too many hours, do not drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and do not break a bevy of other safety rules. However, truckers are involved in thousands of truck accidents a year in Texas alone – and there are a variety of reasons. In addition, the reasons for Texas truck accidents differ from the most common reasons for car accidents.

• Mechanical errors. Trucks take a lot of wear and tear – and their sheer weight and size puts considerable strain on truck parts like the wheels and brakes. If a truck is not properly inspected and maintained or if a truck is carrying too much weight, mechanical errors can lead to serious truck accidents.
• Driver distractions. A trucker’s office is his truck cab and unfortunately far too many big rig drivers in Dallas talk on the phone, text, use an on-board computer, eat, and groom while driving. A recent study has shown that texting makes a truck accident 14 times more likely to occur.
• Driver fatigue. Although there are regulations about how long a commercial driver can stay behind the wheel, some truckers alter their driving logs or simply ignore the rules. Truckers also often drive strange hours, leading them to fall asleep early in the morning or late at night.
• Blind spots. Because trucks are so long and high off the ground, it is easy for a smaller vehicle to be hidden from view by the tractor-trailer driver. This could case easily cause truck accidents when a trucker is changing lanes or exiting a highway.
• Unsafe loads. If a truck is not loaded properly, the result could be a deadly truck accident. If a truck is top heavy, it could cause a rollover truck accident. If a truck’s load is not properly tied down, an object could roll or fly off of the truck. If a truck is too heavy, it could experience big rig brake failure or another kind of mechanical failure.

We have an extensive background in this area, contact Rasansky Law Firm at (214) 651-6100 and speak to a Dallas truck accident lawyer or complete our online form for a free consultation.