Speeding precipitates road accidents. This is true, especially for truck drivers who speed beyond negligence to irresponsible, reckless driving. As commercial truck drivers speed, they could be ferrying perishable goods to the city from the countryside.
To safeguard every road user, truck drivers have regulations that guide them on the number of hours they can work before taking a break to sleep. This enables them to deliver on time and complete their shifts within the stipulated timeframe. Truck Accidents Due to Speeding are common on most roads.
When truck drivers exceed the acceptable speed limit or drive too fast in bad weather, they cause accidents that cause severe injuries and damage to other drivers and vehicles on the road.
Common Causes of Accidents when Commercial Trucks Speed
Injuries incurred from dangerously driven trucks, especially on highways, are more catastrophic than injuries sustained from other kinds of accidents. The force of the impact is grave because the truck is already on increased acceleration. Speeding trucks can cause tragic wrecks because:
The truck is unable to stop.
Commercial trucks are too huge and so need more time than other passenger vehicles to slow down. When commercial truck drivers speed, they may miscalculate the time they need to respond when the traffic around slow, or the driver ahead of them has to stop or suddenly reduce his speed.
Adverse weather conditions
It is imperative to avoid driving in poor weather conditions. Further, it is unsafe to drive beyond the set speed limit when the weather is prohibitive. Fog, heavy downpour, very windy, and icy weather conditions require a moderately controlled speed.
Commercial truck drivers who do not moderate their speed in these weather conditions can slum into a vehicle, causing several vehicles to collide, causing severe damage and injuries.
Blind Spots
Commercial truck drivers have a wide blind spot on either side, behind, and in front of their vehicles. Consequently, when they speed, they easily lose sight of other vehicles in these blind spots. They may only realize where they are when it is already too late to veer out of the way.
Bends
Speeding drivers can lose control of their vehicles on winding curves. The risk becomes even more real for commercial truck drivers because they can easily cause accidents by suddenly swinging into multiple lanes of vehicles.
Truck drivers are required to reduce their speed more than passenger vehicles do on curves. Truck wheels can lock if a truck hits the brakes during a bend. This can potentially cause the truck into a skid.
It is imperative to contact an experienced car accident attorney as soon as a traffic accident occurs, especially when you suspect the truck driver was speeding.