Truck Accident Lawyer
Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida
Commerce delivered by semi trucks flows all over the country every day of the week. Truckers have tight deadlines, often work long hours, and sometimes carry dangerous cargo. All of these factors lead to stress and fatigue, which in turn can lead to accidents.
18-wheelers can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds and reach 75 feet in length. Due to their sheer size, the accident s they are involved in are often horrific, and involve multiple vehicles. Injuries and death are commonplace, and it is mostly the occupants of smaller vehicles that lose out. Truckers will escape injury or death most of the time. In fact, 12% of all traffic fatalities were caused by truck accidents, however in 98% of those accidents, it was the drivers or passengers of smaller vehicles who died.
Common Reasons for Truck Accidents
- Blind spots on trucks are large and it is difficult to see smaller vehicles in these blind spots
- Driver does not leave enough space between the truck and other vehicles
- Overloading of the cargo on the truck, which might shift in transit
- Driver is rushing to meet a deadline and speeding
- Driver is exhausted from too many hours of driving
- Driver is stressed and is not paying enough attention to other vehicles around them
- Mechanical failure or defective parts on the truck
Truck drivers must go through rigorous training in order to obtain a license, but there have been cases where the training was lax, or the driver should not have been operating such a large vehicle. Yet, due to the amount of cargo that is shipped and the competitive nature of trucking companies, inexperienced drivers will often be on the highways with the rest of us.
As with any accident, the variables that caused it are numerous. The difference with truck accidents is you are more likely to be seriously injured than if you were involved with another car. And because the cargo might have been hazardous, even if you were not involved in the accident directly, you may still be exposed to toxic substances.
More questions about truck accidents? Please view our truck accident frequently asked questions page.
If you, or a loved one, have been involved in an accident involving a large truck, please contact Lusk, Drasites, Tolisano & Smith, P.A. We serve the Cape Coral, Fort Myers, and Lee County, Florida area, and would be happy to answer any questions you have.
