Know-How To Take On Your Toughest Legal Challenges

Good night, sleep tight, unless you’re driving at the time

On Behalf of | Dec 7, 2017 | Car Accidents

If you’ve ever been driving along a Nebraska highway only to have a tractor-trailer barrel up behind you or cut you off at an exit, you understand how utterly frightening such situations can be. If you’ve been a licensed driver for any length of time, you’ve likely made a mistake or two behind the wheel, perhaps just making it through a yellow light or taking a bend too wide, etc.

However, it’s understandable that if you were to consistently drive while exhausted, let’s say, someone may call your behavior careless. Many commercial truck collisions occur when drivers are fatigued. You obviously can’t check to make sure every motorist in your vicinity has had a proper night’s sleep. Gaining better understanding of what types of factors place you most at risk for collision may help you avert disaster. It also helps to know where to seek support if a crash does occur.

Major risk factors for commercial truck collisions

No matter how alert or cautious you happen to be while driving, if another person is negligent, it may negatively impact your situation. The following list shows many factors crash data analysts take into account when developing statistics on who or what is most likely to cause a commercial truck accident:

  • Vehicle condition: A tractor-trailer can weigh as much as 70,000 pounds or more. It’s crucial that such massive vehicles are kept in tip top shape in order to maximize safety.
  • Road and weather conditions: If a road is wet or icy, you, as a licensed driver are obligated to take such factors into consideration when getting behind the wheel to drive. If you take to a slippery road and travel at the regular posted speed limit, you may be seen as negligent if a crash occurs. The same goes for tractor-trailer operators.
  • Driver condition: If a driver is acting under the influence of drugs or alcohol or is nodding off at the wheel, it places the driver and all others in the area at risk for injury.
  • Driving behavior: Any type of recklessness or negligence on the part of a driver increases the risk for collision. Speeding, failing to stop at stop signs or red lights, or erratic lane changes or other road maneuvers place truck drivers themselves and other motorists or pedestrians nearby in harm’s way.

Many commercial vehicle collisions occur because of one or more factors on this list. Driver distraction and non-adherence to traffic regulations are other major causes of collision. If you survive a crash with a tractor-trailer, you may suffer temporary or permanent disability because of your injuries. Nebraska law allows you to pursue recovery for your losses.

It can take weeks, months, even years to recuperate following a motor vehicle crash. For many accident victims, seeking compensation for damages is a priority; otherwise, they have no means to meet the expenses associated with their injuries.

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