Road-going fatalities generally are declining across the nation, but there is a significant exception. Large trucks are seeing a nominal rise in deadly accidents in Texas and other states despite a generally declining national trend in highway deaths. There are some basic causes greatly contributing to this.
Distracted driving likely a significant factor
When it comes to motor vehicle accidents, large trucks are defined as those weighing more than 10,000 pounds, including pickup trucks exceeding that weight. Distracted driving is especially troublesome among drivers of large trucks and is one of the most cited factors in a slight uptick in the percentage of deadly accidents. Using cellphones and onboard technology is especially common and can take a driver’s eyes off the road for several seconds at a time.
Fatigue leads to driver errors
Commercial truck drivers have federal limits on how much they can drive each day. Some exceed the number while others simply find the strain of long days in the driver’s seat to be especially tiring. Fatigue is a common problem cited by many drivers of large trucks and can be especially difficult when driving more hours than legally allowed.
Speeding and reckless driving are constant dangers
As with all other drivers, those who operate large trucks often exceed the speed limit. Some also drive recklessly due to a variety of reasons. It all adds up to drivers not abiding the posted speed limits and general traffic safety laws, which clearly endangers the lives of others on public roadways. Given the relatively enormous size of the trucks, when deadly accidents occur, the other motorists and their passengers get the worst of it. An experienced motor vehicle accidents attorney can help to hold the drivers of large trucks accountable for injury accidents.