It’s common for huge semi-trucks to travel the roads in West Virginia. Unfortunately, serious truck accidents occur and can cause fatalities.
What causes truck accidents?
Truck accidents occur for a number of reasons. Truckers work extra-long hours, often without rest breaks. Fatigued driving is just as dangerous as driving under the influence. With a truck accident, the consequences are serious as fatalities are far more likely.
Speeding and reckless driving put everyone at risk. These behaviors might be due to the trucker fearing that they won’t make their destination in time or something else such as road rage. Speeding can result in tire blowouts, which can also cause serious accidents.
Truck drivers often eat behind the wheel due to their tight schedules. This can also cause an accident as it may result in distracted driving. Other activities such as using a cell phone, adjusting controls and fiddling with maps can cause a truck accident.
If the trucker is under the influence of alcohol or drugs or even on certain prescription medications, it can lead to impaired driving. This is a major cause of semi-truck accidents that could cause multiple fatalities.
Trucks that aren’t well-maintained or whose cargo is improperly secured or too heavy can also end up in truck crashes. The results can be devastating and cause catastrophic injuries or deaths.
How can you avoid a truck accident?
Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to avoid an accident with a semi-truck. You can only control your actions behind the wheel. However, you can stay safer by remaining alert at all times while sharing the road with a truck. Give plenty of space when following and stay out of the truck’s blind spots. Make sure you can see the driver in the truck’s mirrors. Always pass a truck safely while allowing plenty of room. Never pass from the right.
