Truck Accidents and Their Unique Dangers in Construction
You wouldn’t think that many truck-in-construction-zone accidents would take place every year, but this is far from the truth. In fact, an astonishing amount of these accidents take place every year, and they could be easily prevented with care. Research has shown that many of these accidents take place when a large truck is barreling down the road, turns the corner, and traffic is in a dead stop. Truck accidents in general take approximately 11 lives a day and cause 100,000 injuries each year. Add in a construction zone and slow-moving traffic, and you have a recipe for disaster.
Why These Accidents Occur
According to the Federal Highway Administration, trucks play a huge role in causing wrecks in construction zones. In fact, it has been suggested that 30% of construction zone accidents involve large trucks. You may be wondering why these risks are so huge, and we have answers for you.
Sudden Changes: Construction zones can come up quickly, almost unexpected in some cases. This may include speed limit reductions, lane changes, and workers entering work zones. When a truck driver is not paying attention, this can spell disaster. This can lead to very serious injuries or death.
Speeding: This is one of the main causes of accidents in work zones. They can lead to the most life-threatening injuries like TBIs, spinal cord injuries, and organ damage.
Being too Close: Sometimes, construction can lead to narrow roads, and truckers may not be concentrating on staying away from workers and other drivers at all costs.
Tailgating: It takes a commercial truck a longer amount of time to stop than your regular passenger vehicle. This is why it is important that a trucker keeps a good distance away from the vehicle in front of them when they are in a construction zone, to avoid rear-ending accidents.
Not Obeying the Signs: Sometimes, a trucker does not pay attention to warning signs or avoids roadwork flaggers who are directing traffic safely. This can become deadly for many parties.
Not Staying Patient: If a trucker is impatient, they may speed, tailgate, or merge at the last minute. This, of course, increases the risk of an accident.
If you are a worker or driver of a passenger vehicle, and you have been injured by a large commercial truck in the construction zone, you may understand your right to hold a party liable for your injuries. Luckily, we can help you make your personal injury case and receive the best outcome. Call us today for more information on how we can help.
