Top Causes of New Jersey Big Rig Accidents

It’s common to see big rigs making their way across United States highways and coming in and out of New Jersey every day. With their large size and weight, they take up a good deal of the road, which can be a bit frightening to smaller motorists caught driving in close proximity. This fear is completely substantiated considering the numerous collisions that happen each year between semi-trucks and passenger vehicles.

When these types of accidents occur, it almost always means a hazardous scenario for the people in the car, who were likely not able to get out of the way of the massive truck in time. Even with extensive training on how to avoid crashes, truck drivers still find themselves in situations that lead to serious collisions. Some of the most common causes, as reported by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), include:

• Drug Use: Even with all the regulations put into place to help keep the trucking industry in line, prescription and over-the-counter drug use is still a major factor in semi-truck collisions, responsible for nearly half of all big rig accidents. Many medications warn against taking them and then operating a vehicle, which should be taken even more seriously when it’s a commercial truck being driven.
• Speeding: It may not seem fathomable for a big rig to get up to excessive speeds, but they do, making them troublesome for even the most experienced drivers to control. In about 23 percent of crashes, increased speed is determined to be the cause.
• Blind Spots: Blind spots in passenger cars are dangerous enough; just imagine how much that’s enhanced while driving a semi-truck. Vehicles may get a little too close, but big rig drivers are supposed to constantly be checking the areas around them, and failure to do so frequently ends in wrecks.
• Fatigue: Fatigue in truck drivers has been a serious problem in the past, and although it has decreased in where it falls as a factor in accidents, it still accounts for approximately 13 percent. Tired big rig drivers battle blurred vision, delayed response times, and poor judgment.

Truck drivers and the companies they work for can be held accountable if they are found negligent of failing to keep the roadways safe. If you or a family member has been injured in a New Jersey big rig accident, it’s time to consult with an experienced lawyer from Lependorf & Silverstein, P.C. who will help you get your life back on the right path and recover the financial damages you deserve. We can be reached at (609) 240-0040.