Common Causes of Chico Truck Accidents
I’m Ed Smith, a Chico truck accident lawyer. Trucks are a crucial part of California’s economy. Practically every industry relies on truck drivers and trucks in some way, shape or form. Although trucks keep our economy growing, they can also pose some very dangerous risks on the roadway. Of course, every truck accident is different, but the majority of commercial truck accidents can typically be classified into one of three groups:
- Truck Driver Negligence
- Poor Truck Maintenance
- Other motorist’s inability to veer away from a truck.
Below I will go over some of the more commonly seen causes for Chico truck accidents.
Distracted Truck Drivers
Accidents happening as a result of distracted driving occur daily on California roadways. A distraction behind the wheel can be anything that takes the truck drivers attention off of the roadway such as:
- GPS
- Texting or playing on their mobile phone
- Eating/Drinking
It takes a truck much longer to come to a stop than it does a vehicle, which is just one reason why it is so important for a truck driver’s focus to stay on the road.
Brake Failure
Truck accidents that happen as a result of brake failure can be catastrophic. In many cases, these types of accidents may be avoided by ensuring the truck’s brakes are properly installed and maintained. Drivers should also be trained on how to do frequent brake inspections.
Truck Under-Ride Collisions
Surprisingly, these types of truck accidents are more common than one might think. A truck under-ride collision happens when a vehicle crashed into and under the middle or rear of a large tractor-trailer. In many cases, the body of the trailer rips through the windshield of the vehicle that hit it and tears the roof of the vehicle off, this can cause traumatic or even fatal injuries.
Jackknifing Truck Accidents
This is one of the most commonly seen types of trucking accidents. A jackknife occurs when the truck’s brakes on the drive axle lock up on the trailer, causing the trailer to move in an uncontrolled manner. The trailer only comes to a stop after it forms a 90-degree angle with the tractor.
Chico Truck Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Chico truck accident lawyer. If you, or a member of your family has been injured or lost their life in an accident involving a truck or the negligent actions of a truck driver, call me today at (530) 392-9400 or you can reach me toll-free at (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly, and fast advice.
I have been assisting residents from the Chico community recover fair compensation for their personal injury and wrongful death cases for over three decades.
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I am a California member of Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Members of this forum have obtained settlements and verdicts that exceeded one million dollars.
See our Past Verdicts and Settlements page.
Founder of www.autoaccident.com, Northern California’s top trending website for personal injury and auto accident information.
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