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3 Serious Risks Posed by Commercial Trucks and Their DriversWhen a commercial truck gets involved in any type of accident, there are almost always catastrophic injuries involved. The size and the weight of these trucks can mean serious accidents even when the truck is moving at a relatively slow speed. Trucks are essential to the U.S. economy but they can also be danger zones.

What many drivers don’t realize is that different types of trucks can bring with them different kinds of danger. The good news is that if you’re aware of potential danger zones with trucks, and you take care to avoid them, you may be able to lower your risk of getting involved in a truck accident. If you’ve already been injured in this type of accident, contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for your free, no-obligation legal consultation.

  1. Rollover danger
    It’s common for commercial trucks to rollover because almost all of their loads are high up in the air. The only real exception to this is a flatbed truck, because it has a long, open trailer. That said, when a flatbed is loaded up it still has a higher than average likelihood of rollover – especially if the cargo ends up shifting during a turn or if the truck makes a hard stop. The best way to avoid this danger is to not drive next to a commercial truck unless you’re actively passing them and to always stay at least 500 feet behind them.
  2. Commercial trucks are often carrying hazardous materials
    When a commercial truck gets into an accident, one of the big issues is that it may have hazardous material on it. This material can spill, catch fire, and cause other serious issues. While larger cities and most populated areas in California have restrictions on trucks that are transporting things like commercial chemicals, remember that even a garbage truck has hazardous materials in smaller amounts. A truck accident that involved hazardous materials must be handled very carefully as it has the potential to cause health issues for years down the road.
  3. Lack of sufficient training
    One of the biggest issues when it comes to truck accidents are drivers who lack the necessary experience and training. Too often, people assume that since truck drivers must have earned their Commercial Driver License (CDL) that they are automatically trained correctly. The reality is that it takes years of hands-on experience to really know how to handle commercial-sized trucks. There’s such a demand for commercial truck drivers that companies too often put a driver behind the wheel before they’re ready.

Have you been injured in a truck accident?

If you’ve been injured in an accident with a commercial truck then we welcome your phone call to Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707. We’ll begin with a free legal consultation that gives you an idea of what your options are. If you decide to work with us after that, then your case will be taken on a contingency basis. In short, this means that you don’t pay until we win your case and there is no risk.