Civil engineers Sunanda Dissanayake and Siddhartha Kotikalapudi, both of Kansas State University, are examining five years of commercial truck accident statistics with an aim to finding information that could help prevent future crashes. Their research may be important in helping to prevent Miami truck accidents as well as traffic accidents across the country.
According to Dissanayake, commercial trucks comprise just 3% of the registered vehicles on US streets, but these vehicles tend to be involved in a disproportionate number of accidents. According to 2009 statistics from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), one out of ten traffic accident fatalities across the country involved truck accidents.
According to initial research, a large proportion of the truck crashes examined were caused in part due to some action on the part of the driver. Driver distraction and not giving enough time to complete driver tasks seemed to be the biggest cause of truck accidents. Excessive speeds, failing to yield right of way, incorrect lane changes, and tailgating were among the other top accident factors that the researchers uncovered. In fact, initial research suggested that in about 73% of examined accidents, driver related issues were at least a contributing cause of the collision.
In about 13% of accidents, researchers concluded that environmental-related causes were a contributor, while in about 7.8% of cases road-related issues where a problem. Defective brakes, cargo problems, and other vehicle-relates issues contributed to accidents in about 6.1% of cases, according to the initial findings of the researchers.
Initial research also found that most the truck collisions studies occurred between noon and 3 pm and almost 78% of the accidents occurred in full daylight with no poor weather conditions present. Researchers further concluded that most of the truck accidents occurred in high-speed areas.
Dissanayake and Kotikalapudi are continuing their research and hope to be able to make safety recommendations based on their findings. Their research may also help suggest reasons for Miami traffic accidents involving trucks. If the findings are similar in Florida, it could suggest that careful training and screening of truck drivers as well as more resources and support for truck drivers may be a good way to prevent Miami car accidents involving trucks. Ensuring that truck drivers can give their full focus to their driving can help prevent some of the accident causes that Dissanayake and Kotikalapudi have uncovered.
The research findings of Dissanayake and Kotikalapudi may also suggest one reason why Miami truck accident victims who have sustained a serious injury may wish to speak with a personal injury attorney. According to the initial findings, many accidents are caused by preventable reasons and truck drivers as well as potentially other liable parties may be held accountable for their actions. Holding drivers accountable when they speed or drive distracted can help pressure truck carriers to screen and train drivers carefully to prevent further legal action.
If you have been injured in a Miami truck collision, contact the Flaxman Law Group to arrange for a consultation with a personal injury attorney. Your case may be worth more than you think and it is advisable to consider all your options before making a decision in your case.