Truck accidents can cause serious injuries and harm to victims. For that reason, it is helpful for truck accident victims to be familiar with the common causes of truck accidents and how personal injury legal damages can help in those situations.
Driver inattention
Driver inattention results in truck accidents, injuries and fatalities. Examples of driver distraction include:
- Texting while driving or using a cell phone while driving
- Paying attention to what is going on outside of the truck
- Auditory distractions or fiddling with the radio
- Eating while driving and other manual tasks
- Daydreaming or losing focus on driving
Truck driver fatigue
Truck driver fatigue can lead to truck accidents. When truck drivers drive while drowsy, it can increase the risk of a truck accident. When truck drivers do not take required rest breaks and drive while fatigued because of deadlines or for other reasons, they can cause serious truck accidents.
Driving while impaired
When truck drivers drive while they are impaired by drugs or alcohol, it can result in truck accidents that can, in turn, cause catastrophic injuries for others on the roads. Truck drivers driving under the influence can be a significant danger to victims. On average, between one quarter and one third of truck accidents are caused by drivers impaired by drugs or alcohol.
Regardless of how a truck accident is caused, injury victims may be left facing unexpected damages they need help with. A personal injury claim for damages may be able to help injured victims recover compensation for their physical, financial and emotional damages from the negligent truck driver and trucking company responsible.