If you drive a semi-truck, you know that this is not an easy job. You also know that the hours are usually quite long and you must have a great deal of discipline. Still, you have a job that is adventurous and may allow you to get to know many different cities and towns, and meet new people every day.

On the other hand, you are probably also quite familiar with the hours of loneliness, with nobody to talk to, nobody to remind you that tomorrow will be a great day and that you have to keep on going. On top of that, by being on the road day after day, you have probably seen plenty of semi-truck accidents and you may have even been involved in one. What are the main reasons these accidents happen?

Driver Exhaustion

As mentioned above driving a truck entails long hours on the road. Many miles must be covered with very little rest in between. This may be attributable in part to owners of truck companies that want goods to be delivered within short periods of time and truck drivers feel pressured to keep those deadlines. Sleep is sacrificed and accidents happen.

Insufficient Driver Training

Drivers of commercial vehicles must put in a certain amount of training hours and meet certain requirements. When a truck driver does not adhere to these guidelines and get behind the wheel with little experience, accidents will occur.

Poor Truck Maintenance

Trucks must be in perfect condition before hitting the road. Although this is required by law, the high cost of maintenance and the time it takes to have this done, discourages drivers who feel it´s more worthwhile to deliver goods than to spend time maintaining the truck

Abuse of Alcohol or Drugs

Long, lonely days make alcohol and drugs seem very appealing. Going from having a drink after work to drinking while driving makes the perfect recipe for accidents on the road. Although sometimes legal drugs such as prescriptions also play a role.

Speeding and Driver Distraction

Driving long distances and getting bored on the road, may make drivers disregard marked speed limits at some point. Boredom also plays a role in other distractors such as using the phone to send or reply to messages, maybe even scroll through social media websites. Every second that the driver´s concentration is on something other than the road, makes accidents much more prone to happen.

Other Drivers

People driving cars around big trucks may be unfamiliar with how these vehicles maneuver, how much room they need when braking or turning, and how much visibility a truck driver has of vehicles surrounding their rigs. Car drivers may abruptly change lanes in front of a truck or misjudge an approaching truck´s speed, causing an accident.

Some of the most gruesome accidents we see on the road today involve huge commercial trucks. If you have caused or are the victim of an accident involving a semi-truck, a personal injury attorney can help you resolve your case. Getting the legal guidance of a seasoned, aggressive, professional accident attorney can help you get the results you want. 1-800-Injured is an attorney and medical referral service that can put you in touch with the legal professional you need. Get in touch with them today.