Large trucks carry tremendous amounts of cargo throughout America. These vehicles are vital to ensuring daily operations for businesses all across New York and safely navigate the roads and bridges of the state every day. Fortunately, accidents and crashes involving large trucks are quite rare, but when they do occur, they can result in tremendous property damage, physical injury, and even fatalities. More often than not, when a driver is injured in a crash with a large truck, it is the driver of another vehicle and not the truck driver. Although mechanical failures can happen, more than 80% of crashes with large trucks occur due to human factors, not vehicular ones.
The most common human factor that causes crashes with large trucks is simple inattentiveness and distraction. More than 18% of cases involving a human cause are the result of a driver just not paying proper attention to the road and other vehicles. Since most of these crashes cause personal and property damage, the driver is responsible for such reckless, irresponsible behavior.
About 15% of crashes caused by human factors are due to a driver following too closely. Large trucks have difficulty stopping, especially in a short distance. Sudden stops by other drivers can cause crashes, but if a truck driver does not give other vehicles enough room for his or her own truck to stop, then such negligent actions can result in a serious collision.
Lane changing and passing often create situations in which a crash can occur. About 10% of crashes are caused by improper use of a lane or trying to pass a vehicle in a way that is not safe, while another 10% are caused by driver’s changing lanes in an unsafe manner. Large trucks can offer limited visibility compared to their size, which requires that other drivers around the truck must often account for that issue and ensure they always remain visible to the truck driver.
A further 10% of crashes that are caused by human factors in New York occur due to improper yielding or failure to recognize when someone else has the right of way. Drivers of large trucks can become complacent, like any other driver, and forget about observing who has the right of way in a given situation. No matter who legally should be allowed to proceed on a road, it is always best to yield to a more aggressive driver and avoid a collision.
Accidents with large trucks in New York are more often than not caused by human factors, usually one of the drivers involved. If you or a someone you know has been injured in a crash with a large truck, call the New York truck accident attorneys at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP today at (212) 986-7353. Before you sign anything or talk to any insurance company, discuss your case with us and learn about your options.