Georgia motorists are often nervous or worried about sharing the road with large trucks. In some ways, their fears are often justified. A crash involving a tractor-trailer is far more likely to injure or kill occupants of other vehicles, simply due to the size and weight of a semi. There are a number of factors that can contribute to truck accidents. While truck drivers are often highly skilled and well-trained, they are vulnerable to the same types of distractions and poor decisions as others on the road. In addition, the consequences of these types of bad decisions can be much more severe.
One study of 120,000 truck accidents that caused fatalities or serious injuries found that excessive speed was a common factor where the truck driver was at fault. In some cases, the truck driver was violating the speed limit. In other cases, the trucker was driving far too quickly for surrounding conditions. Large trucks already have much longer stopping distances than passenger cars. When rain, sleet, snow or ice come on the scene, that long stopping distance multiplies, making trucks far more likely to crash into surrounding vehicles.
There were other factors involved in serious truck crashes. In 29% of the cases, trucks involved in these accidents had brakes that were defective or poorly maintained, which can make it difficult or impossible for trucks to stop on time. In many cases, trucking companies may have failed to maintain their systems in order to save money, at the expense of others’ lives.
People who have been harmed in truck crashes may face permanent disabilities with long-term effects on their future. Commercial vehicle accident victims may turn to a personal injury attorney to help them to pursue compensation for their damages.