Dangerous Habits of Commercial Truck Drivers

Commercial trucks, including big rigs, tankers, and tractor-trailers, are extremely large vehicles that can cause significant damage when they collide with smaller cars and trucks. The damage they cause may include not only property damage to the vehicles involved but also serious personal injuries to their occupants. Unfortunately, these accidents are shockingly common: according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), large truck and bus accidents resulted in approximately 2017 injury accidents in 2017 alone. 

It’s important to understand that in many instances, truck accidents are completely avoidable. When truck drivers engage in certain dangerous habits, including speeding, failing to use turn signals, and weaving in and out of traffic, they can cause a traffic accident that results in serious personal injuries. These potential injuries can include traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, soft tissue injuries, and even death. 

If you have suffered injuries in a motor vehicle collision that was caused by a negligent truck driver, you may have a legal claim against that driver as well as against the trucking company that employs him or her. The experienced Las Vegas commercial truck accident lawyers at Gina Corena & Associates can evaluate your case and help you make the best possible claim for damages. You can call us today at (702) 680-1111 or contact us online to learn more about how we can assist you with your personal injury case.

Financial Incentives for Commercial Truck Drivers

Put simply, truck drivers often have a strong incentive to drive fast – and for extended periods of time without stopping. When truck drivers are able to deliver more cargo to their final destinations faster, they can reap bonuses and other financial rewards. These drivers frequently have an incentive to do whatever is necessary, including driving fast and recklessly (and even while fatigued), in order to beat a deadline. Unfortunately, however, these negative actions can lead to serious accidents with other vehicles on Las Vegas roadways. 

Dangerous Habits that can Lead to Collisions

There are certain truck driver habits that have the potential to lead to serious collisions with other vehicles on the road. Some of these habits include the following:

Speeding

When truck drivers exceed the posted speed limits for trucks on the roadway, they significantly increase their chances of colliding with another motor vehicle.

Weaving

When truck drivers weave in and out of traffic – especially at a high rate of speed or without using the proper turn signals – they increase the likelihood of striking another motor vehicle in the process. 

Distracted driving

When truck drivers engage in distracted driving, it can cause extremely serious accidents. Distracted driving can involve using a cell phone, texting, adjusting the radio, eating, or doing anything else that diverts the driver’s attention from the road ahead.

Fatigue

When the drivers of large trucks operate their vehicles while fatigued, they increase their chances of falling asleep at the wheel and causing a collision with another motor vehicle.

Improper loading and unloading

When trailers are not loaded and unloaded properly, truck drivers increase the likelihood that their cargo will become loose and dislodge from the trailer into the roadway, potentially causing another vehicle to collide with it. 

If you are injured in an accident that was caused by one or more of these types of truck driver negligence, you may be eligible to file a personal injury claim or lawsuit against the driver and his or her employer.

Making a Claim or Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit

In order to be successful in a personal injury claim or lawsuit after a truck accident, the driver or another party must have acted negligently, and this negligent act must have been the cause of an accident victim’s physical injuries and damages. In addition to pursuing compensation for medical treatment bills and lost earnings, an accident victim can also pursue compensation for pain and suffering and other intangible losses resulting from the accident. 

Filing a personal injury claim against an at-fault truck driver and trucking company first involves completing your medical treatment and forwarding a settlement demand (along with all pertinent records and bills) to the truck driver or trucking company’s insurer. Once the carrier accepts liability, some negotiation will usually take place, after which the accident victim can choose to accept a pending offer or litigate the case through the Nevada courts. 

The majority of personal injury cases do not go to trial, as usually, the parties reach an out-of-court settlement. A Las Vegas commercial truck accident lawyer can help you attempt to negotiate a fair settlement offer or seek compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. 

Call Us Today to Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with a Truck Accident Lawyer in Las Vegas

If you have been injured in a motor vehicle collision that was caused by truck driver negligence, the legal team at Gina Corena & Associates could help. To schedule a free case evaluation and legal consultation with a Las Vegas commercial truck accident lawyer, please call us at (702) 680-1111 or contact us online to learn more.