Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Ohio

Ohio Trucking Accidents: Leading Causes

Thousands lose their lives in truck crashes yearly, and even more, are catastrophically injured.

But what causes these life-changing truck accidents? The trucking company could have rushed training for a new 18-wheeler driver. Employees could have loaded a delivery truck with a faulty door lash in a hurry. Or maybe the company that owns a fleet of tractor-trailers decided to cut back on maintenance costs.

Only a few things are certain when it comes to large commercial vehicle accidents: they are serious, happen suddenly, and for various reasons. Some of the most common causes of Ohio truck crashes are:

Truck Driver Fatigue

Truck drivers frequently are pressured to drive longer and go farther. When drivers are overtired, it slows their reaction time and drastically increases the odds of an accident.

Truck Driver Error

Everyone makes mistakes, but professional truck drivers are held to a higher standard. CDL holders must take road safety very seriously. When they fail to operate their vehicles responsibly, they can be liable for the harm they cause.

Improper Truck Maintenance

Many of the large trucks on the road today are incredibly complex machines. Specific laws regulate them and often require routine maintenance to deem them roadworthy. A severe crash could result if a careless truck mechanic fails to address a problem or a company overlooks a vehicle’s routine care.

Distracted Driving

Truck drivers are not immune from looking at their phones when they should be driving or engaging in distracted driving behaviors. The only difference between a distracted truck driver and the driver of a passenger car is that when a semi-truck driver looks at a text, they can cause tremendous damage and injuries.

Wide Turns

Trucks require a wide berth to maneuver, and it takes a lot of training to do so safely. When a truck swings too far in one direction during a turn, the back of the truck or trailer could collide with other vehicles, property, or pedestrians.

Blind Spots

From box trucks to semis, large commercial vehicles have significant ‘blind spots” that limit the driver’s ability to see other vehicles. Typically, drivers are trained to compensate by checking their blind spots before changing lanes. When they fail to do so, they pose a danger to anything in their path.

Oversized/Overloaded Trucks

Where truck drivers are pressured into driving longer hours, cargo loaders often are compelled to pack as much cargo as possible into a truck to save on transportation costs. But this practice creates undue stress on the vehicle and can lead to tire blowouts and trucks tipping over, spilling their cargo.

Improperly Secured Cargo

The process of loading or unloading a truck can seem straightforward, but the distribution of weight and proper balance is significant regarding how cargo is loaded. Additionally, many people could be involved in securing a truck’s cargo.

This process can create an unbalanced or hastily packed truck that can cause flying debris when not appropriately supervised.

Defective Truck Parts

Trucking companies and manufacturers must use safe equipment. If a company, driver, or manufacturer knowingly uses substandard parts, they can be held liable if an accident happens. But sometimes defective truck parts make it to market, and this recalled equipment is used on trucks on the road.

Impaired Truck Drivers

The law prohibits all drivers from operating a vehicle while intoxicated, which goes double for commercial truck drivers. Unfortunately, there are still far too many truck crashes caused by impaired truckers. Doing so puts countless people at risk.

Suppose you suspect a driver’s use of drugs or alcohol caused your truck accident. In that case, it’s imperative to contact a lawyer and hold them accountable.

Inclement Weather

Heavy rain or snow makes roads slicker and adversely affects a driver’s visibility. And while a driver can’t avoid some weather-related accidents, other times, they may be traveling too fast for the conditions or a city insufficiently salted a major road.

Such actions could arguably be considered negligent and may entitle injury victims to compensation.

Road Conditions

Poor road maintenance or shoddy highway construction can easily result in a severe large truck collision. There are regulations around work zones and proper signage to alert drivers of hazards and altered traffic routes.

A truck accident could easily happen if a government agency or third-party contractor ignored these requirements.

Delivery Deadlines

Some motor carriers pressure drivers and employees to meet unrealistic deadlines and quotas. This often comes at the expense of safety checks, driver rest periods, and required truck maintenance.

Improper Training

It takes considerable skill to drive or work on a large commercial truck. However, considering current driver shortages and supply chain issues, some trucking companies have cut corners regarding training and safety compliance.

An ill-trained truck driver or tech may not even be aware of their deficiency, yet they are putting others at risk.

Negligent Hiring

There are strict regulations around getting and keeping a commercial driver’s license. Still, many trucking companies know how to circumvent specific policies to get drivers working for them.

In some cases, companies do not complete drug tests, and background checks, and drivers who would otherwise be disqualified from driving are on the road.

Liable Parties After a Truck Crash

It’s hard to establish fault without assistance, but our attorneys can help pinpoint what caused your truck accident and identify all the liable parties who contributed to it.

Here are a few examples of those commonly responsible for causing truck accidents in Ohio:

• Reckless Truck Drivers
• Motor Carriers/Trucking Companies
• Truck Part Manufacturers
• Unloaders & Loaders
• Truck Mechanics & Techs

You May be Entitled to Compensation

When another’s negligence or inaction causes a truck accident and your resulting injuries, you should not be held responsible for the cost of your recovery. Ohio law gives you the right to pursue compensation for your assorted damages and losses related to the accident, whether with an insurance settlement or lawsuit.

Every truck accident is different, with distinctive causes and contributing factors. An experienced lawyer can help calculate your damages and what you can recover. But generally, after a truck accident, you can be compensated for your:

• Current and future medical expenses
• Lost income
• Time away from work
• Reduced earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Disfigurement
• Loss of consortium, or the impact your injuries have on your relationships

Find What Caused Your Truck Crash & Fight for Your Rights

The trucking company, their insurance provider, and their lawyers, are not interested in your well-being or ability to recover. These large corporations are interested in reducing their liability and maximizing their profitability. They do this by diminishing your injuries and their culpability for causing them.

While the exact cause of your truck accident will vary, you should always work with a legal team who can properly investigate, assign fault, and determine who owes you compensation.

At Ohio Truck Accident Help, we focus on helping Ohio truck accident victims with every aspect of their case and present the strongest possible claim for everything you deserve.