There are roughly 450,000 trucking accidents per year. With so many crashes, there are bound to be more than a few unexpected, but not unusual causes. When you know a few of these unexpected causes of trucking accidents, you’re better equipped to identify potential risks and prevent a crash before it happens. Here’s what you need to look for.
Burst Tires
Flayed and discarded truck tires are a common sight on highways across the US. Most drivers only see what’s left of the tire; seeing it burst is another matter entirely. When a truck tire wears down or falls apart, the tire typically goes flying into traffic at highway speeds.
A truck tire weighs upwards of 110lbs. When something of that size comes at a nearby vehicle at 70 MPH, the results are catastrophic. That’s just one reason truckers need to follow routine maintenance procedures and ensure their tires are well maintained.
Truck Fires
About 4% of all trucking crashes are directly caused by an onboard fire. These fires (also called thermal incidents) are most often caused by poor or negligent maintenance.
Typically, a truck fire starts in the wheel well due to either underlubricated bearings or failed brakes. Because trucks are larger and heavier, they create more friction which can cause due to excessive heat. It’s rarer, but a smaller number of truck fires can occur due to a malfunction with the tractor-trailer’s refrigeration system.
Falling Cargo
Produce trucks are a common sight in the fall and winter, but some aren’t properly secured. If a strap is too loose or a bag of grain goes flying off an open-topped truck, it might hit a vehicle or cause drivers to panic and swerve out of their lane.
It may sound unlikely, but these accidents are more common than you might expect. According to AAA, an annual 200,000 car crashes are caused by debris and cargo falling off trucks.
If you or someone you love suffered severe injuries or even wrongful death in a trucking crash, you might have a case. If you’d like an experienced Riverdale truck accident attorney from Law Offices of Falanga & Chalker to evaluate your case, please don’t hesitate to send us an email or call (470) 450-1164.
