Nobody expects an accident to occur when sharing Illinois roads with semi-trucks. However, these huge vehicles account for many crashes annually. It’s important to know the causes and common types of these accidents.
What are some truck accident statistics?
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 2020 saw around a 10% increase in semi-truck accidents over the previous year. This also resulted in a 10% uptick in deaths stemming from such collisions. Annually, around 5,000 people die after being involved in accidents with huge trucks. The majority of those accidents involve trucks with trailers hitched.
Most of the fatal truck accidents that occur on highways take place in rural areas.
What are the most common causes of truck accidents?
Many factors can lead to a truck accident. All of these can pose serious risks to everyone sharing the road with such a huge, heavy vehicle that might be toting hazardous materials in its cargo. Driver fatigue ranks as one of the top causes. Many truck drivers work overly long hours and don’t get adequate breaks to rest and recover, which can cause them to lose focus or even to fall asleep behind the wheel.
Distracted driving is a serious cause of semi-truck accidents. If the driver isn’t paying attention, the consequences can be deadly. Even a quick glance at a cell phone can or fiddling with the GPS system can lead to a horrific truck accident occurring.
Sometimes, truck accidents happen because of improper maintenance or cargo being improperly loaded or secured. Trucks must be in good condition to make long trips. Cargo that’s too heavy or sloppily secured can come loose and fall onto the road. A tire blowout can also occur.
Truck drivers must be properly trained to handle their vehicles. If a driver lacks the right level of training, it can lead to a disastrous crash.
