• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
JH-logo-truck-accident-lawyer

Truck Accident Lawyers St. Louis - Truck Accident Attorney

James M. Hoffmann

  • Truck Accident Lawyer
  • Why James?
  • Our Firm
  • Our Results
  • Blog
  • Contact

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

June 26, 2012 by James Hoffmann Leave a Comment

facts about St. Louis truck accidents

Trucks and tractor trailers have long been the undisputed kings of the road. By their sheer size and presence on the highways, many drivers, especially the young and inexperienced, avoid them as much possible. This stands to reason as over 7 of every 12 accidents that involve these road behemoths end in at least one fatality. Of that number, over 73% of the time, it’s the driver or the passenger of the other vehicle that dies. Here are some of the more common reasons behind truck accidents:

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving has been called an epidemic by our transport authorities. Often, trucks are equipped with handheld or CB radios for communication (or as a form of entertainment) for the long, monotonous hours on the road. While there are less stringent laws regarding their use, these things figure in to a lot of truck accidents.
Distracted driving takes other forms. It can be sending or reading a text message from a wife or loved one, or reading emails or messages from local logistics managers for updates on their routes and cargoes.

Alcohol and Other Substance Abuse

In 2007 drug use, either prescription or illicit, was the most common cause of truck accidents. In 26% of the crashes the drugs taken affected the truck driver’s reaction time.

Several more recent studies have suggested that there is a growing number of arrests being made against truck drivers for DUI.

Fatigue

The act of maneuvering a tractor trailer is not as easy as a lot of people think. It is a highly technical and delicate skill not in small part due to the interfaces of other vehicles. By taking these operations at higher speeds, the risk increases exponentially especially when done under less than optimal conditions. In the worst cases, these drivers have not logged the required number of hours to safely operate these vehicles or have received little to no training at all.

Poor Working Conditions

Just like a larger percentage of the working class, truck drivers rarely enjoy employment that pays just compensation. The costs of doing business for trucking and logistics companies – rising fuel costs, high equipment maintenance – drives them to set unrealistic delivery deadlines and cargo checkpoints for their overworked and underpaid employees. These less-than-stellar operating conditions sometimes cause drivers to resort to maladaptive coping mechanisms that put the public in danger.

Mechanical Errors

Logistics and trucking agencies run the business and as is often the case, their need to increase their bottom-line drives them to keep costs down. This includes but is not limited to using surplus equipment to service their vehicles, running more miles between servicing or sometimes, skipping routine checks before taking trips. As more and more concerned traffic groups are calling the attention of the government, increasing profits is not an excuse for claiming the lives of thousands of people each year.
On balance, all blame does not fall squarely on the shoulders of the drivers. Stricter legislation is still quite a long way off, even as these glaring numbers continue to grow.

If you or anyone you know has been hurt in a truck accident, do not hesitate to contact the truck accident lawyers at the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann. Since 1993 James Hoffmann has been concentrating his practice on helping Truck Accident Victims in and around the St. Louis area.

Call (314) 361-4300 or contact us today for a free and private consultation.

Filed Under: Truck Accident Facts, Truck Accident Lawyers Advice Tagged With: commerical truck accidents, semi truck accidents, Truck Accident Lawyer

Updated: November 16, 2018.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

FREE CONSULTATION:
(314) 361-4300

Instant Contact Form

    Footer

    St. Louis Truck Accident Lawyer

    Law Office of James M. Hoffmann
    2001 S Hanley Rd #325
    St. Louis, MO 63144
    Phone: (314) 361-4300

    Truck Accident Knowledge Base

    • 5 Technologies That Are Helping Improve Safety in Trucking
    • How Can Black Box Data Help Your St. Louis Truck Injury Claim?
    • 5 Commonly Violated Truck Regulations in Missouri
    • 5 Common Myths About Truck Accidents in St Louis
    • How Can Negligent Hiring Affect My Truck Accident Case?
    • 5 Tips to Safely Share the Road With Semi Trucks
    • 4 Unique Issues Often Created by St. Louis Truck Accidents
    • Why Are Truck Accident Cases So Complicated?
    • Why Should I Hire a Missouri Truck Accident Law Firm?
    • The Dangers of an Overloaded Tractor Trailer

    RSS St Louis Workers Compensation Attorney & Work Injury Lawyer

    • Workers Compensation for Ironworker and Steelworker Injuries
    • 7 Occupational Diseases That May Be Hiding in Your Workplace
    • Importance of Obtaining Expert Medical Opinions After a Work Injury
    • Heat Exhaustion at Work – How a Workers’ Compensation Attorney Can Help
    • Workplace Fires: 8 Common Causes and How to Prevent Them

    Copyright © 2022 Law Offices of James M. Hoffmann · Log in