Avoiding Eureka Trucking Accidents

I’m Ed Smith, a Eureka truck accident lawyer. Large trucks owned by trucking companies play a significant role in California’s economy. In fact, the California Department of Transportation has reported that more than three-quarters of communities across the state rely on commercial trucks to deliver them essential goods. Unfortunately, the more trucks there are on the road, the higher the chances are that a severe trucking accident will happen. Because commercial vehicles are so large, the damage they cause during collisions can be extremely severe and injured individuals are often left with serious or even fatal trauma. For this reason, it is essential to know the best ways to avoid being involved in an accident with a large truck.

Why Truck Accidents Happen

Accidents happen for many reasons, but there are a few factors that commonly cause trucking collisions. These factors include:

Defective truck parts/equipment
Distracted driving
Poor maintenance
Roadway hazards
Driving while fatigued
Inadequate training
Driving at dangerous speeds
Over-the-counter or prescription drugs

Common Truck Accident Injuries

Some of the injuries commonly caused by trucking accidents include:

Spinal cord injuries – these can range from compression fractures to shifted vertebrae and are often very painful. Some cases can even cause paralysis or loss of sensation.
Bone fractures – severe bone fractures are common in trucking collisions.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) – these types of injuries occur when head trauma is sustained. TBI’s can be very serious and are liable to cause symptoms such as loss of cognitive ability, memory problems, personality changes, mobility issues, and more.
Chest trauma – sustaining chest trauma can break blood vessels as well as cause damage to the heart and lungs. This type of trauma is often caused by blunt force from the dashboard or steering wheel.

How to Stay Safe

One of the most common reasons that trucking accidents happen is because drivers don’t know how to avoid them. Below are some good things to keep in mind while driving near a truck:

Driving in the blind spot of a semi truck is a bad idea, especially along the sides of that vehicle. If you stay in a truck’s blind place, the driver may not even know that you are there.
Avoid cutting off big-rigs and allow plenty of room between your vehicle and their vehicle when you are traveling in front of them. This is important because trucks take much longer to stop than regular passenger vehicles. Suddenly stopping in front of a semi might mean that the driver isn’t able to stop in time, which can cause an underride accident.
Keep a safe amount of distance between your vehicle and the truck near turns. Because of their length, trucks need a lot of space to perform turns, especially in tight corners.

Watch YouTube Video – by Ed Smith – What Damages Can I Claim In a Trucking Accident?

To learn about how you can recover financially for the injuries you’ve sustained in a trucking crash, you can watch this helpful video:

More from Eureka Truck Accident Lawyer

Eureka CA Truck Accident Attorneys

I’m Ed Smith, a Eureka truck accident lawyer. Trucking accidents are often severe. If you or someone in your life has suffered injuries during a trucking crash, call (707) 564-1900 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice. Also, feel free to use my website to contact me.

I have helped people living in Eureka with claiming wrongful death and personal injury payments for 36 years.

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My website is the best internet resource for information on car accidents and personal injury topics in Northern CA – AutoAccident.com.

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Avoiding Eureka Trucking Accidents