DC Truck Accident Crash Dynamics

The following is taken from an interview with a DC truck accident lawyer as they discuss the dynamics of a typical truck accident in Washington, DC. If you have suffered an injury as the result of a truck accident call and schedule a consultation today to discuss your case.

Factors That May Lead To Truck Accidents

Trucks are being operated at all hours of the day and geographic location sometimes makes a difference in truck accident cases, yet they can occur almost anywhere and for many different reasons. Some of the most common factors that lead to truck accidents include:

  • Weather or driving conditions
  • Speed
  • Truck driver fatigue
  • Equipment maintenance or malfunction
  • Weight and cargo distribution
  • Driver error

Truck drivers have special licenses that permit them to operate such large and dangerous vehicles and they are trained to respond to all of the above issues safely in order to keep themselves and other drivers safe.

Can Cargo Lead to Truck Accidents?

The weight, distribution, and dynamics of the cargo that a truck is carrying can cause all sorts of issues. How cargo is loaded and distributed is very important because the driver needs to make sure that the load is evenly dispersed for optimal weight distribution and maneuverability of the truck. If it’s not then it creates a danger and hazard in and of itself.

Securement of the load is also very important to prevent the cargo from coming loose and scattering on the roadway, and these loads can be very heavy. Additionally, if it’s liquid in the tank of the truck, then you have additional concerns of the surge of any liquid affecting the operability of the vehicle when travelling on the highway and making turns. So there are many different issues with cargo that give rise to safety issues that ultimately cause an accident.

Can The Size Of A Commercial Truck Lead To An Accident?

Compared to other vehicles on the road, commercial trucks are very large, both in size and weight. They can weigh tens of thousands of pounds more than passenger vehicles, and given this disparity, more severe outcomes almost always occur when a commercial truck is involved in an accident.

Is There Special Requirement For Those Driving Commercial Trucks?

There’s a CDL license that operators are required to have, and CDL stands for commercial driver’s license, which comes with a commercial driving manual that provides the basic truck driving knowledge that anyone operating a commercial vehicle must have and must be trained in by their employer.

Thus, all licensed commercial truck drivers are equipped with the information, rules, regulations as to operation, equipment, and safety when operating a commercial vehicle.

Are Truck Accidents Potentially More Destructive Than Car Accidents?

Yes. Given the mass of commercial vehicles when they come into contact with regular passenger vehicles, the injuries are typically more serious, and the damage more catastrophic, than a normal car accident.