Commercial vehicles and semitrucks make up a sizeable portion of traffic on the state’s highways. Although these large trucks are essential to commerce, they can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, making them deadly if they collide with a smaller vehicle.
Common causes of truck accidents in San Diego range from speeding and driver fatigue to poorly maintained vehicles and bad road conditions. Regardless of the cause, these accidents leave victims with serious injuries and damaged property. If you sustained injuries in a wreck, our truck accident attorneys at Singleton Schreiber Injury Attorneys are here to help.
What Commonly Causes Truck Accidents?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets strict guidelines about how long commercial truck drivers can operate their vehicles each day and how many days they can work per week. Nevertheless, fatigued driving remains the leading cause of commercial truck wrecks. Pressure to meet tight deadlines could make drivers work longer than they should, impairing their ability to safely operate their vehicles.
Other factors that may contribute to a truck collision could include:
- Impaired or distracted driving: Alcohol, narcotics, and in-cab devices, such as cell phones, may take a driver’s attention off the road at critical moments
- Speeding: A semitruck carrying its maximum capacity needs about 500 feet to stop under ideal conditions, so speeding may prevent a trucker from safely stopping
- Improper maintenance: Commercial trucks spend a lot of time on the road, so skipping regular maintenance could result in brake failure, oil leaks, and other mechanical issues
- Bad weather and road conditions: Wet or windy conditions could exacerbate the above issues, and truckers may ignore FMCSA regulations that require them to pull over in bad weather to meet a deadline
Any of these common scenarios could allow you to take legal action if a semitruck crashed into your vehicle in San Diego. We could explain what you need to do to file a claim against the driver or their employer.
Establishing Liability in a Semitruck Accident
After a commercial vehicle accident, you may exchange insurance information with the truck driver, who may not be solely responsible for the accident. Depending on the cause of your collision with a semitruck in San Diego, other parties that could share liability frequently include:
- The maintenance company or yard, if they failed to properly maintain the truck or warn of damage
- The trucker’s employer, if the employer required the driver to keep unreasonable schedules or placed a ghost driver on the log
- The shipping company, if it owns the trailer separately
- The loading yard, if its employees did not properly secure or balance the cargo
- Other motorists, such as a driver who cut off the commercial vehicle, forcing the trucker to brake or swerve in such a way that they lose control
Any of these entities or individuals may share liability in your accident. Our attorney could explain how to put together your insurance claim to include all parties.
Call Our San Diego Team About the Common Reasons Semitrucks Crash
At Singleton Schreiber Injury Attorneys, we understand the common causes of truck accidents in San Diego. We can provide the legal advice you need after a wreck with a commercial vehicle and help you obtain the compensation you deserve from all liable parties.
Our team works on a contingency fee basis, so we do not get paid until we settle or win your case. Call us today to schedule a free and confidential consultation.
