Top 8 Causes of Iowa Truck Accidents
Every day in the news, we hear about semi truck accidents in Iowa and elsewhere in the United States that claim the lives of innocent motorists. Sadly, most of these truck crashes could have been prevented by truck drivers. Although not every truck crash in Iowa is caused by truck operators, truck drivers contribute to the vast majority of them.
What are some of the top causes of 18-wheeler collisions in Iowa?
In 2007 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration released "The Large Truck Causation Study," which detailed the causes of truck accidents nationwide to include:
- Driving under the influence of drugs: Drug use amongst truck drivers is one of the most common causes of truck wrecks. Drugs that have been linked to truck crashes include illegal drugs as well as prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications, which all affect a trucker's ability to drive their rig safely.
- Speeding: When a truck driver is carrying a heavy load and is speeding, a crash can be more deadly due to the force of an impact with an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer.
- Unfamiliar with roads: Accidents caused by truck operators are often due to the fact that the trucker is unfamiliar with the road, turns, potholes, hazards etc.
- Blind spots: Large trucks have severe blind spots, and truck drivers need to check their blind spots and be overly cautious before they make turns or switch lanes. When truckers fail to check their blind spots, serious truck accidents may occur.
- Driver fatigue: Truckers tend to drive more hours without taking proper breaks, ultimately leading to drowsy driving. Driving while fatigued can have a negative effect on a trucker's reaction time.
- Illegal maneuvers: When truck drivers forget to use their turn signals or make an illegal maneuver while driving, motorists who share the road with them often suffer.
- Distracted driving: When a truck driver is not fully paying attention to driving, he is engaging in distracted driving. This may include texting, talking on the cell phone, eating and drinking, looking out their window at other motorists, etc.
- Aggressive driving: When a truck operator engages in road rage behaviors, catastrophic truck and car crashes in Iowa can occur.
Other factors such as weather conditions like fog, rain or wind could play a factor in semi-truck accidents.
Also, a truck driver's poor vision, negligence, overloaded trailers and unsecured loads can contribute to Iowa truck crashes.
Whatever the cause of your Cedar Rapids truck accident, it can leave you with serious injuries and damages. It is extremely important that you speak with an experienced Cedar Rapids accident attorney as soon as possible after a wreck to find out your rights.
To find out what financial compensation you may be entitled to, please contact the Law Offices of Brady Preston Gronlund today for a free legal consultation. You can reach our office at (319) 866-9277.
