Large truck accidents are some of the worst crashes that occur on roadways. Due to the size and weight of these vehicles, they often cause a lot of damage.
Many times, the causes of truck accidents are preventable. Understanding what is leading to them can be part of the solution to help reduce them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared three main factors that cause accidents.
Inadequate training
New drivers and even those who have been on the road for a while need to have the right amount of training. This includes continuing training for safety reasons. When drivers do not get the right training or go through training often enough, it makes them a risk on the roads. Companies need to ensure training is on target for every driver they put on the road.
Impossible deadlines
Companies put drivers under a lot of pressure to make deliveries as quickly as possible or to get as much as possible delivered. These deadlines are often impossible within proper safety standards, which pushes drivers to cut corners. That is a huge safety problem, yet it continues as there are often not enough drivers to handle all of the country’s delivery needs.
Tired driving
Tied in with deadlines is tired drivers. While there are standards for rest breaks, not every company allows drivers to have enough downtime. This results in drivers getting behind the wheel when they have not had enough sleep and forcing themselves to drive even though they are drowsy.
All three of these issues are things trucking companies can and should manage so they are not a problem. Still, everyday truck accidents occur because proper management is not occurring.