18-wheelers (also known as semi-trucks) are a common sight on any major road. Highways and interstates allow for the fastest travel possible, and local surface streets allow transportation professionals to pick up loads and make deliveries.
Occasionally, these large commercial vehicles cause crashes that damage smaller vehicles, put people in the hospital or cost people their lives. Many drivers feel nervous when they are close to commercial trucks in traffic. They may want to take steps that can limit their risk of an 18-wheeler collision.
People who understand the causes of these crashes may find it easier to avoid them. What are the leading causes of commercial vehicle collisions?
Mistakes by those in passenger vehicles
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) tracks commercial crashes and the factors that contribute to them. According to FMCSA data, more than half of all semi-truck collisions are the fault of the bigger vehicle or its operator. However, some crashes occur because of something that the person in the smaller vehicle did.
Getting too close to a semi-truck is a common mistake. People don’t leave enough room when approaching intersections with a semi-truck waiting to turn. Drivers may merge too closely in front of a semi-truck and cut them off. They may also drive in the blind spots around the vehicle, increasing their risk of a crash.
Mistakes by commercial drivers
When looking at why commercial vehicles and their operators cause crashes, the top reason is making the wrong decision, which accounts for 38% of wrecks. Maintaining too high of a speed, getting too close to other vehicles or misjudging the amount of space needed to make a turn are all examples of mistakes that can directly contribute to a semi-truck collision.
Inadequate surveillance
A failure to properly monitor surroundings is the second leading reason that commercial vehicles cause crashes. Approximately 28% of collisions caused by semi-trucks occur because they did not notice something in their surroundings.
Some of these crashes may occur due to distraction. Drivers who eat at the wheel, handle mobile devices or converse with others while driving may not pay adequate attention to road conditions. Other times, commercial drivers may fail to properly check their blind spots before conducting a maneuver.
Two of the other top-reported issues include non-performance or an inability to perform job functions and issues with the commercial vehicle. Those in passenger vehicles can’t control many of these risk factors. At most, they can monitor their surroundings carefully and try to give large trucks more space in traffic.
They can also respond assertively if an 18-wheeler crash does occur. Pursuing compensation after a commercial vehicle crash is often a complex process because of the extent of the damages caused. People frequently need help getting insurance coverage or preparing to file a civil lawsuit, and that’s okay.