Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
According to the truck industry, the majority of truck accidents in Homestead and other communities occur due to passenger car drivers. In fact, in many car and truck accidents, the car drivers blamed. Even though it’s true that truck drivers have extensive training and have to be carefully tested to keep and maintain their commercial licenses, truck drivers aren’t immune to human error.
In fact, there are many errors that truck drivers make that can lead to collisions:
1) Poor health choices.
Fatigued driving, drugged driving, and drunk driving involving truck drivers in Homestead and other communities can and does happen. Even though there are strict rules preventing truck drivers from engaging in dangerous behavior, it does not prevent drivers from making poor choices. Some drivers have sleep apnea or sleep disorders or other conditions that they fail to disclose. Some drivers drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
2) Aggressive driving.
Truck drivers are often under a lot of pressure to get to their destinations and delivery points on time. In some cases, this can lead to speeding and aggressive driving, especially around passenger car drivers who are driving more slowly. The pressures of the job and personality types can affect driving safety.
3) Violating safety rules.
Truck drivers are carefully trained and tested on all rules of the road, but that does not guarantee that they will follow them. Some truck drivers run red lights or take other risks.
4) Stopping decisions.
Truck drivers are expected to brake carefully because it takes large commercial trucks much longer to come to a complete stop. However, some truck drivers brake in dangerous spots where oncoming traffic can smash into them. In some cases, truck driver start and stop unexpectedly, with no consideration for the traffic around them.
5) Errors in changing lanes.
Changing lanes in a commercial vehicle is more challenging than changing lanes with a bicycle, motorcycle, a passenger car. Truck drivers are trained in making safe lane changes, a process that includes carefully checking blind spots. However, truck drivers don’t always follow their training and in some cases may make unsafe lane changes that lead to collisions.
6) Distracted driving.
Truck drivers are warned about the dangers of distracted driving and are prohibited by federal law from texting or using mobile devices while driving. Nevertheless, each year accidents occur because truck drivers break this rule and drive while distracted.
If you have been in commercial truck accident and have been accused of causing the accident, it is important to get the facts. Even though truck driver drivers are highly trained professionals and even though many of them are very safe drivers, they are not infallible. They can cause traffic accidents caused by human error just like any driver.
If you would like to get the facts about Florida laws that may affect your case and would like to know more about potentially filing a claim to seek compensation, contact the law offices of Flaxman Law Group to schedule a free accident consultation with our law firm.