You should get medical assistance as soon as possible if you or a loved one is involved in a truck accident in Utah. Contacting a semi-truck accident lawyer would be your next move if negligence played a part in causing the accident. Given how fatal truck accidents can be, you must hold the negligent party accountable, whether the truck driver, company, cargo loader, or truck manufacturer. Awareness of the typical reasons for semi-truck accidents might be helpful, and you could use it to pursue justice and defend your rights. Let’s look at the common causes of truck accidents in St George, Utah.
Speeding
In Utah and the rest of the nation, truck accidents are most frequently caused by speeding. Although many trucking companies now equip their fleet with speed limiters or trackers, not all trucks have them.
Many truck drivers are also under pressure to complete deliveries more quickly, and because of this, they frequently speed to earn a few dollars more. Speeding can result in disastrous truck collisions. St George truck accident lawyers can hold a truck driver responsible for a major crash due to speeding.
Fatigue
A major issue on the road is driver weariness. Federal and state laws exist to keep exhausted drivers off the road, and adhering to them prevents commercial truck accidents brought on by fatigue.
According to the most recent hours-of-service (HOS) requirements, truck drivers must:
- Spend no more than 11 hours driving at once.
- Take a 10-hour break in between two shifts that are back-to-back.
- Take a 30-minute rest after more than eight hours of continuous driving
- Drive for no more than 60–70 hours while on duty during 7–8 days.
- Take a break of at least 34 hours before starting to drive again for 7 or 8 days in a row.
Accidents still occur as a result of inadequate sleep despite these laws. Due to corporate policy, personal motivations, and scheduling procedures, many truck drivers disregard these rules increasing the likelihood of truck accidents.
Distracted driving
Distracted driving frequently involves:
- Using your phone to talk or send texts (including receiving text messages)
- Eating and drinking
- Conversing with passengers while driving
- Playing with the navigation, entertainment, or sound system
- Watching a video
- Reading
Drivers who use a handheld cell phone or engage in other distracting behaviors while operating a vehicle will be subject to additional penalties under the careless driving statute. If you think distracted driving contributed to the accident, you must speak with a knowledgeable semi-truck accident lawyer. Your injury lawyer can help assemble the evidence so that you receive just compensation.
Truck failure
Technical mistakes like brake failure, flawed connection systems, and other mechanical faults may also carry the blame for truck accidents. Both the trucking firm and the car maker share responsibility for the collision, and this is because these mishaps are often avoidable with adequate maintenance.
Summing up
Devastating injuries, fatalities, and legal repercussions are frequent outcomes of truck accidents. By being aware of the causes, you and your attorney can more effectively pursue just compensation.
