Due to their size and speeds, 18-wheelers will likely demolish any smaller passenger vehicle in their path in a crash. Collisions involving tractor trailers, delivery vehicles or construction equipment often result in devastating property damage and catastrophic injuries. It is not uncommon for these crashes to involve fatalities.
While countless factors influence trucking collisions, four elements are common:
- Distracted driving: Truckers spend so much time on the road that drivers are constantly tempted to multitask while behind the wheel. Whether this means eating a meal or having a phone conversation, these professional drivers still let various activities pull their attention from the road. Unfortunately, any type of activity quickly becomes a distraction as it requires a hand, the eyes or mental focus to complete.
- Impaired driving: While this phrase used to refer only to drunk or drugged driving, the strength of various medications can also lead to severe side effects. From cold medicine and allergy pills to anti-anxiety medication, drivers can face a dramatic reduction in perceptive acuity while behind the wheel.
- Mechanical failure: Logging hundreds of thousands of miles per year, large trucks require regular maintenance. From tire blowouts and brake failure to unbalanced loads and defective lights, trucks rely on working mechanical systems to guarantee the safety of all on those on the road.
- Drowsy driving: Even though regulations force truck drivers to log certain amounts of rest per day, many push their limits to ensure an on-time delivery of goods. Unfortunately, drowsy or fatigued drivers can cause deadly collisions.
No matter the types of vehicles, a collision can result in devastating property damage and catastrophic injuries. When large trucks are involved, however, vehicle occupants risk fatalities on city streets, county roads or highways.