While people drive in North Carolina there are many things they need to pay attention to. This includes the various road signs and traffic control devices, but sometimes most importantly it means that drivers need to pay attention to the actions of other drivers on the road. Sometimes this includes erratic driving behaviors, which force them to react to avoid car accidents. Unfortunately, people are not always able to avoid other drivers though and accidents occur.
While the actions of any driver can cause accidents, certain vehicles can cause much more damage and severe injuries than most other vehicles on the road and those are tractor-trailer trucks. These vehicles are much bigger than most other vehicles, which can make their driving errors much more serious. There are different ways that truck drivers can cause truck accidents, but some are more common than others.
Common causes of truck accidents
Some of the most common causes of truck accidents that are caused by truck drivers are:
- Poor decisions – driving too fast for the conditions, misjudging the speed of other vehicles, following vehicles too closely and others. These make up approximately 38% of truck accidents
- Distractions – taking eyes off of the road, distractions either inside or outside of the vehicle, did not see other vehicles in other lanes. These account for 28% of truck accidents
- Non-performance – this could be falling asleep or suffering a medical emergency. This type of cause accounts for 12% of all truck accidents
Truck accidents occurring in North Carolina can cause significant damage and severe injuries to the drivers of the other vehicles involved in the accidents. The injuries can require significant medical treatment and can completely change their lives. If the truck driver caused the accident though, they may be required to compensate the victims. This compensation can be very valuable as the victims recover from their injuries. Experienced attorneys understand how devastating these accidents can be and may be a useful resource.