Seeing tractor-trailers and other commercial trucks on Colorado roads is not unusual. You may see them on an almost daily basis or at least when you do hit the road. While you may hope that the driver in that big rig is doing everything possible to remain safe, you just do not know for sure, which can be unsettling.
Unfortunately, actions by both truck drivers and passenger vehicle drivers could contribute to serious accidents on the roads. Even if a truck driver wants to do the best he or she can do to remain safe, trucking companies often push employees to driver longer and more quickly in hopes of making deliveries sooner, which can easily contribute to crashes.
Common contributing factors
Though an accident can happen under various circumstances, the following list shows some of the more common causes of truck accidents.
- Failing to have proper driving and safety training as a big rig driver
- Driving more than the legal number of hours allowed for truck drivers
- Trying to keep up with an unrealistic schedule set by an employer
- Passenger car drivers cutting off big trucks
- Merging lanes incorrectly by either a commercial vehicle or a passenger vehicle
- Speeding
- Changing lanes abruptly
- Passenger drivers traveling in a trucker’s blind spots and no-zones, such as beside or directly behind the tractor-trailer
Of course, this is not an exhaustive list, and many more issues, including fatigue, distraction and impairment, could easily contribute to a serious truck accident. Sadly, these incidents can have devastating results, often leading to severe and even fatal injuries for those involved.
Were you in an accident?
Even if you try to drive as safely as possible around commercial trucks and other vehicles, you cannot control the actions of other individuals. As a result, you may have found yourself involved in a truck accident due to the negligent or reckless actions of a semi-truck driver. If you suffered serious injuries in the incident, you may have reason to seek compensation for your injuries and other damages.
In these types of accidents, it may be possible to pursue recompense from both the driver and trucking company for which the driver works. Exploring your options for filing a personal injury claim after such an event may be worthwhile.