Any vehicular accident has the potential to be fatal, but dump truck accidents often carry a higher risk and can be even more dangerous due to the weight, height and size of these vehicles. Commercial vehicle accidents will often result in more severe damage to property and more serious injuries to people involved due to their factors. The physical characteristics of the truck are just some of the many factors to be considered in a dump truck accident.
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Common Causes of Accidents
Dump truck accidents often occur due to some common causes, which include traveling at speed and brake problems. Coupled with driver fatigue and sometimes pressure from the company, tire issues and distractions on the road are also very common causes of dump truck crashes and accidents. Driver distractions are a huge problem for commercial truck drivers, with cell phone use and texting being some of the most significant problems. In addition, the risk of an accident increases by a huge amount when dump trucks and tractor-trailers are operated without the right vehicle maintenance or driver training. In the event of a dump truck accident, both the truck driver and the company that owns the truck may be at fault.
How Often Do Dump Truck Accidents Occur?
Over 37,000 fatalities per year occur on the roads as a result of dump truck and commercial vehicle accidents, according to statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Over 5,000 crashes that result in fatalities involve large trucks and buses, and the number of fatal accidents on the road involving these vehicles has been on the rise since 2016, when large trucks and buses made up 13% of all road accident fatalities.
Can a Driver’s Employer Be Held Liable?
If the truck driver is an employee of a company, the company that they work for may be held responsible for any negligent actions that the driver commits while working, leading to a crash. The employer may be held responsible due to not providing adequate training to their driver employees, failing to perform the necessary safety checks on the truck, and exceeding the legal weight limit for cargo. In some cases, employers may be held responsible if they put drivers under pressure to meet unrealistic deadlines without considering factors such as driver fatigue. A company can also be held responsible if they require drivers to take part in negligent actions such as calling or texting while driving.
What to Do if You Are Injured in a Truck Accident
Occasionally, truck accidents can lead to catastrophic injuries or even death. If you have been injured in a dump truck accident or you have lost a family member to a commercial vehicle accident on the road, the best step to take is to get in touch with an experienced lawyer who can help with getting compensation for your injuries or filing a wrongful death claim. This is because these accidents can be very complex, and it’s worth having professional legal support.
Due to the size of dump trucks and many other factors, accidents involving these vehicles can be lethal.
