When it comes to motor vehicle accidents, few are as terrifying to be a part of as truck accidents. That’s because out of roughly 400,000 crashes per year, roughly 40% result in injury, and 10% result in fatalities.
Milwaukee truck accidents are more likely to happen than in other parts of the country. Below are some of the major contributors to this higher statistic.
Inclement Weather
It should be of no surprise that Milwaukee has some bad weather, especially in the winter. Averaging around four feet of snow annually, driving becomes very difficult during December through February.
Naturally, December is one of the busiest times of the year for truck drivers. The holidays make it so that these drivers need to be on the road, rain or shine, and when conditions are bad, they have to endure.
Driver Negligence
Driver negligence is a broad topic. In essence, it means that a driver actively disobeying the law or driving recklessly is acting with negligence.
Some examples would be driving full blast in a snowstorm, not slowing down for vehicles on the side of the road, ignoring road signs, or driving while texting.
Alternatively, accidents can be a result of other drivers acting negligently. In this case, another driver could cut off a truck, causing them to brake rapidly or sending them into a guard rail.
A common cause of accidents comes from drivers ‘riding’ other drivers, meaning they are following too closely.
Combine this with several other factors: weather, a stoplight changing, another driver cutting the front one-off and you’ve got yourself an accident.
In these cases, the truck driver may not be at fault and should contact a truck accident lawyer. Negligence comes in many shapes and forms. A driver acting responsibly shouldn’t pay the price for another’s negligence.
Exhaustion
Driving while tired can be a deadly combination. Truck drivers regularly drive for hours on end. Getting tired and not pulling over and resting is a key contributor to causing accidents.
The less alert a truck driver is at the wheel, the more likely they’ll cause an accident.
Alcohol or Stimulant Usage
A form of negligence in and of itself, driving while under the influence is a major contributor to truck accidents. Particularly accidents resulting in injury, for the driver, passenger, or otherwise.
Alcohol-induced driving is a serious offense and needs to be taken seriously.
Legal Help for Truck Accidents
Truck accidents can happen to any truck driver. Knowing the major contributors can help prevent you from getting into an accident yourself.
And if you’re in a truck accident and need legal expertise, we can help. Whether you were the driver, passenger, or a separate driver involved in the accident, there are legal options at your disposal.
Located in the Milwaukee area, we offer Milwaukee Personal Injury Lawyers to help determine the right course of action. Don’t delay in getting justice. Reach out today.