Texas, in general, is a shipping hub for the United States. Unfortunately, it is also the site of hundreds of serious truck accidents every single year. These accidents can result in massive property damage. Even worse, they can result in serious debilitating injuries and even death. Being able to prevent these injuries in the future is important for both the safety and well being of truckers and others on the road.
Causes of truck accidents
To lower the number of truck accidents in Texas and else where, people need to realize the common causes of such accidents. These include:
- bad weather
- distractions both inside and outside the vehicle
- driver error from poor training
- driver fatigue and lack of sleep
- drug use and intoxication
- improper truck maintenance
- roadside hazards
- poor truck cargo loading
- poor trucking company hiring practices
Issues with newer carriers
Data has shown that newer carriers are involved in more serious truck crashes. This data was compiled by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and the data has demonstrated that trucking carriers that entered into the industry since 2019 were involved in more serious trucking accidents. The direct cause of these increases is hotly debated. Overall, older carriers tend to have more experience in regards to training, driver protocol and hiring practices. Newer companies, on the other hand, may be more willing to take greater chances that result in more accidents due to this inexperience. Hopefully, these trends will plateau over time, but their existence is still alarming to regulators.
Overall, trucking companies, drivers, regulators, elected officials and more should all do their part to limit the number of trucking accidents in the state of Texas and elsewhere. Because the causes of trucking accidents are well known, it should only be a matter of applying this knowledge to both new and old carriers to keep truck crashes to a minimum.