Truck drivers traveling through Michigan get into accidents for the same reasons that many other drivers do.
Sometimes, they did everything they could to prevent the accident but another motorist made a mistake.
In other cases, the accident truly was unavoidable or just happened because of a freak set of circumstances.
Too often, though, truckers get into serious accidents because of their own careless behavior.
On this note, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, or FMCSA, has statistics that, although older, are still published on this government agency’s website.
These statistics show that of 141,000 truck accidents studied, 78,000 of them, over half, involved a significant problem with the operation of the large truck.
Among these 78,000, nearly 9 out of 10, or 68,000, involved a driver’s error.
The most common errors involved bad driving habits like speeding, which includes driving too fast for the traffic conditions. Another big problem was following too closely. These and similar behaviors accounted for 30,000 accidents.
Many accidents also happened because truck drivers did not pay careful attention to the road for whatever reason. Inattentive driving accounted for 22,000 additional accidents.
Careless truck driver behavior can lead to deadly, debilitating injuries
No matter the reason for it, the problem with careless truck driving is that it so often leads to deadly accidents.
Even when victims survive, the difference in size between trucks and cars means that the victims often come out of an accident with a permanent disability.
They may not be able to return to work. In some cases, they may need constant medical care for the rest of their lives.
Those in the western Detroit metro area who have themselves been a victim of a truck accident or who have a loved one who suffered serious injuries may be able to obtain compensation from a negligent driver.