Most Common Causes of Truck and Big Rig Accidents

Some of the most dangerous cases of traffic accident in Los Angeles usually involve trucks and big rigs.

Truck and big rig accidents usually result in devastating injuries and massive property damage.

Just by the size of one big rig and you could already tell that if anything goes wrong, the ending result will not be pretty.

Another point to consider is that in majority of highway accidents that involve multiple vehicles, the chances that there is a truck or a big rig is also high.
But what causes these truck and big rig accidents?

According to the 2006 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration report, here are the top driver behaviors that cause truck and big rig accidents:


• Driving under the influence of prescription drugs (26%) – Some prescription drugs can have side effects such as drowsiness, nausea, and sleepiness, which could cause a driver to lose control of the truck

• Speeding (23%) – The higher the speed the more difficult it is to control a vehicle. Big rigs are difficult enough to operate in regular speed, imagine trying to make defensive maneuvers in high speed. That is why the maximum speed trucks are usually allowed to run is about 55mph.

• Unfamiliar with Road (22%) – Since it is difficult to operate truck or a big rig, most drivers plan their route ahead even before driving that is because, it will be difficult to adjust on unfamiliar roads where you do not know which lanes to take, especially when negotiating sharp turns.

• Driving under the influence of over-the-counter drugs (18%) – Same with prescription drugs.

• Driver Fatigue (13%) – Truck drivers, especially those who drive interstate, put in long hours on the road which leads to driver fatigue. This is very dangerous as it could cause the driver to doze off behind the wheel.

• Illegal Maneuver (9%) – Illegal maneuvers such as making a pass on a freeway or an intersection can lead to dangerous collisions

• Failed to evade (7%) – As said before, large trucks are difficult to control. It will be difficult to perform evasive maneuvers to avoid collisions.

• Aggressive driving – Since many truckers are chasing deadlines, it is not uncommon for drivers to be aggressive on the road. However, this increases the risk of truck accidents.

These are some of the behaviors of drivers that could cause truck and big rig accidents.

You should consult a truck accident attorney if you are ever injured in one.