Driving near large trucks in a passenger car can be intimidating and even frustrating. Big rigs are massive and unwieldy vehicles that can cause some serious damage when something goes wrong. Even minor errors can result in unimaginable tragedy. If you collide with one of these commercial trucks, you are lucky if you walk away without injury.
In fact, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that almost 4,000 people died in crashes involving tractor-trailers in 2016. Here are some of the main causes and risk factors for large truck wrecks:
1. Intoxication
Unfortunately, some truck drivers decide to consume alcohol or controlled substances while operating their enormous vehicles. Even the slightest impairment may cause a severe accident to take place. Truck drivers who take any type of substance that causes impairment may lose control of their vehicles and cause deadly accidents.
2. Distraction
Commercial truck drivers are prone to distractions; they may use dispatching devices or phones while driving. Even when they read or write something while driving, they are at risk of causing a crash. While truck drivers may want to use such technology to help them on long drives, they are dangerous behaviors that may cause injuries and deaths.
3. Braking failure
Due to the vast size of commercial trucks, they require powerful and working braking systems. If anything with the brakes goes wrong, there can be catastrophic consequences. Poor maintenance and improper use of brakes can cause a gigantic truck to go barreling down the roadway, crashing into unsuspecting passenger vehicle like yours.
4. Inadequate experience
Some truck drivers simply do not know how to properly operate their vehicles. If a truck driver does not get proper training regarding safety concerns and driving techniques, he or she poses a risk to you and everyone else on the road.
There are a lot of things that may cause and contribute to truck accidents, but watch out for these four in particular.
