Every year thousands of Americans suffer in 18 wheeler accidents, and even for those who survive crashes with these massive vehicles, the road ahead can be challenging, paved with permanent physical damage, relentless hospital visits and continual and costly medical care.
But victims of a semi truck accident have recourse in the form of litigation. Some law firms even focus on big rig accident cases, including Jim S. Adler & Associates, sponsor of the website 18 Wheeler Accident.org. Led by famed Texas truck accident lawyer Jim S. Adler, also known as “The Texas Hammer,” the Adler law firm has a long history handling 18 wheeler accident cases.
With so many 18 wheeler accidents taking place every year you might assume such vehicular catastrophes are due to a definitive cause. But 18 wheeler accidents have no single main cause. Rather, a variety of factors contribute to a semi truck accident.
When motorists grumble “Is that guy asleep at the wheel?” or “That thing is out of control” upon witnessing misconduct of a large truck, they may not be far from the truth. A substantial number of semi truck accidents or 18 wheeler accidents are due to driver error or poor vehicle maintenance.
The most common causes of an 18 wheeler accident are:
- Driver fatigue
- Driver is under the influence of alcohol or other drugs
- Mechanical failure from poor or careless maintenance (brakes, tires, unsecured cargo shifting)
- Speeding and reckless driving
Beyond these factors, big rig drivers face pressures and competition to deliver their payload on time. They also contend with the never-ending expansion of the highway system with more cars and trucks, and the fact that once their vehicles reach a certain speed and lose control, results can be devastating.
How You Can Respond to 18 Wheeler Accidents Caused by Driver Negligence
There may not be an immediate answer on how to reduce the causes of horrific semi truck accidents, but a stronger push for tougher regulations and penalties could curtail some reckless driving of 18 wheelers and unsafe methods for staying awake on the road. We can only hope that the carnage inflicted by 18 wheelers spurs the trucking industry to provide better training and more effective ways to carry cargo without unmanageable stress to the big rig driver or other motorists.
If you or a loved one already is a victim of a semi truck accident, you deserve to have experienced and knowledgeable legal help. Sifting through accident details and examining records and logs are crucial to putting together a good case. For you and your family to seek justice, make sure you have quality representation from an 18 wheeler accident lawyer such as those with Jim S. Adler & Associates. If we all take a stand against the dangers of the trucking industry, someday we can see a reduction of 18 wheeler accidents on our highways, and a safer, healthier and happier life for thousands of Americans.