According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), about 77 000 truck accidents across the country each year are caused by truck driver error. The most common errors, according to the FMCSA, are:
1) Prescription drug use. According to the FMCSA, about 26% of truck accidents are caused by prescription drugs. While truck drivers are subject to strict rules regarding the use of illegal substances and drugs, some drivers do not investigate over-the-counter and prescription medication, which can cause serious side effects such as drowsiness and fatigue. Illegal and legal drugs cause many truck and car accidents in Miami Springs and Florida each year.
2) Speeding. The FMCSA reports that 23% of truck accidents are linked to speeding. FMCSA had strict rules about speeding, including regulation 392.6: “No motor carrier shall…require the operation of any commercial motor vehicle…in such period of time as would necessitate the commercial motor vehicle being operated at speeds greater than those prescribed by the jurisdictions in or through which the commercial motor vehicle is being operated.” However, truck drivers sometimes feel pressured to speed in order to meet deadlines or in order to earn a fairer wage.
3) Map reading. This common cause of accidents causes 22% of truck collisions. Truck drivers often must make deliveries to areas they may not be familiar with and this requires them to read a map or use GPS. When truck drivers take their eyes off the road to read a map, car and truck accidents in Miami Springs are likely. Some experts believe that voice-activated GPS devices can help, but other experts warn that the devices can be just as distracting.
4) Use of over-the-counter medications. The FMCSA reports that this contributes to 18% of truck accidents.
5) Fatigued driving. This factor contributes to 13% of truck accidents on a national scale. Truck drivers may be especially prone to fatigued driving because they are on the road for long periods of time, must make deadlines, and often lead a fairly sedentary lifestyle.
6) Not obeying the rules of the road. According to the FMCSA, this contributes to 9% of truck accidents. Violation of traffic rules leads to many traffic accidents in Miami Springs and across the country. While truck drivers are especially trained to obey traffic rules – and while the consequences for breaking the rules are more serious for truck drivers than for the average motorist – truck drivers do sometimes speed, run red lights, or break other rules of the road.
If you have been injured in a truck accident, contact the Flaxman Law Group to discuss your case with a personal injury attorney. You may qualify for compensation that can help you pay for medical costs, lost wages, and other expenses related to your injuries. The Flaxman Law Group legal team has more than 25 years of experience helping South Florida traffic accident and personal injury victims recover compensation for their injuries. As a full-service law firm, the Flaxman Law Group have access to a range of resources – including private investigators and expert witnesses – which have helped the legal staff recover more than $25 million on behalf of injury victims.