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Uncovering the root cause of a truck accident can be complicated, but it is a necessary step to securing compensation.

Top 3 Causes of Truck AccidentsTruck accidents are complicated events. It can take weeks of investigation to arrive at an official determination of what went wrong in an accident. And even then, it may still be possible to dispute whether the thing that went wrong (such as the brakes failing or a driver failing to see an obstacle) was really anyone’s fault. A truck accident attorney may very well have to hire their own accident reconstructionist in order to figure this out.

Organizations such as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have the further challenge of trying to sort through all this complex data on the thousands of serious truck accidents that take place each year in order to identify trends and recommend regulatory improvements to prevent future accidents.

Based on the Large Truck Crash Causation Study conducted by the FMCSA and NHSTA, here are the top 3 causes of accidents caused by trucks.

Equipment Problems

Problems with mechanical components of the truck were found to be a “critical reason” for causing the accident in just 10 percent of the cases studied. In these accidents, a failure or malfunction of the brakes or tires was the most common problem.

Now, if the brakes suddenly give out on a vehicle for no foreseeable reason, this is not likely to be anyone’s fault unless you can prove the company was negligent in their maintenance of the brake system or the manufacturer sold defective brakes.

Safety Violations

Safety violations are another possible cause for serious truck accidents, responsible for a small percentage of accidents. Safety violations could include any number of violations of the policies put in place to regulate the trucking industry, such as driving while fatigued, driving drunk, speeding, exceeding hours of service, improper loading of cargo, or failure to complete pre-trip inspections.

Driver Error

The vast majority of truck accidents are caused by simple driver error. Though most truckers tend to be very safe drivers—after all, their livelihood depends on their driving skills—nonetheless the sheer number of hours they put in behind the wheel can increase the risk of an accident. Common driver errors include going too fast for road conditions, taking their eyes off the road, making illegal driving maneuvers, or following too close.

Need Representation for a Trucking Accident?

If you have been injured in a trucking accident, or if you have lost a loved one in a collision caused by a big rig, you definitely need help standing up to the army of lawyers and experts the trucking company is going to mobilize against you. Fortunately, you can get that help by calling the Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas. We will be happy to provide a free case evaluation as well as no-risk representation if you have a strong case.