Over the past couple of decades, states such as California have slowly begun to increase the speed limits for cars and trucks. Although higher speed limits are not often the reason for accidents occurring, they are part of it. Trucks have very little room for error when it comes to their speed as they cannot stop as quickly as a car. Unfortunately, many people have seen the result of trucks speeding, and it’s not good. In fact, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has reported speeding as the number one reason for the increase in truck accidents. Read on to learn more about this issue.
Truck accidents and injuries
When drivers are involved in an accident with a truck, it’s likely that their injuries are going to be severe. This is not due to the way the accident occurred but rather the speed of the truck. When you collide with a truck, it’s very likely that you are going to be colliding with the most unforgiving parts of it, such as its grill, which is often reinforced. In fact, according to the NTSB, colliding with a speeding truck becomes much more severe as speed goes up. For example, someone going 35 mph will likely feel double the impact.
Why trucks speed
Unfortunately, truck drivers are often speeding not because they want to but because they are under so much pressure from their dispatcher or supervisor to deliver their cargo before a certain time. That is why so many personal injury cases involve an investigation of dispatch records. A good attorney may be able to connect your accident with the driver’s orders, thus potentially providing you with the proper compensation you deserve.
If you or a loved one has an accident with a truck, it is important to contact an attorney as soon as possible. Doing so may relieve some of the stress of having to deal with other attorneys and the trucking company.
