When you hit the road in Kentucky or Ohio, you’re sharing space with countless vehicles, including commercial trucks. Thus, as you know — but often take for granted — safety is not guaranteed should your attention stray. Due to no fault of your own, danger can also can strike any second.
There are many potential causes of a truck accident, meaning that you need to stay on your toes at all times. If you don’t, you may increase the likelihood of a crash, thus putting you in an extremely dangerous position.
Here are some of the most common causes of truck accidents:
- Distracted driving, such as when a trucker is texting or speaking on the phone instead of paying attention to the road
- Inadequate training as it relates to defensive driving and safety
- Reckless driving, which often includes speeding, failure to yield, and failure to use turn signals
- Unrealistic schedules set by trucking companies that force truckers to hurry
- Drowsy driving (often a result of spending too many consecutive hours behind the wheel)
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
These are not the only causes of truck accidents, but they are among the most common.
The primary issue is this: You won’t always know if a trucker is going to make a mistake. For example, it’s not likely that you will know if a person is drowsy or drunk. As a result, you can’t do much to protect yourself.
If you are part of a truck accident, your health is the only thing that matters. You should call 911, if possible, so that police and an ambulance arrive to take control of the scene.
Once you receive treatment and understand your long-term prognosis, you can focus on the cause of the accident and your legal rights. You may soon come to find that the trucker was responsible for the crash.
It’s never easy to deal with the aftermath of a truck accident, but you can’t put this on the back burner and hope for the best. A focus on your health and legal rights is an absolute must during this difficult time.