When you think about truck accidents, certain causes might immediately come to mind: speeding, distracted driving or drunk driving. However, some of the most dangerous factors leading to commercial truck crashes often go unnoticed. This post covers these overlooked reasons and what your compensation may recover if you are involved in a crash.
Why delayed loading times pressure truckers
Detention time refers to the extra hours truckers spend waiting at shipping facilities for loading or unloading. The pressure to make up for the delay can lead to risky outcomes, such as:
- Drivers may skipping rest breaks or continue driving while fatigued to meet delivery deadlines
- Driving faster before and after detention periods to compensate for lost time
- Running out of legal driving hours and being forced to stop in unsafe locations without proper parking
Federal law limits drivers to 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour window. Because time spent waiting at a facility usually counts toward those 14 hours, truckers may have less hours available to complete long trips before they are no longer legally allowed to drive.
When worn brakes create serious road hazards
Brake system failures can cause the following:
- Rear-end collisions
- Jackknife accidents
- Override crashes
- Multi-vehicle pileups
Responsibility for maintenance is often shared. Trucking companies must ensure their fleets meet federal safety standards before dispatching vehicles, while third-party providers can contribute to problems by using inferior parts. When a crash occurs due to brake failure, investigators might find a chain of negligent decisions rather than a single point of failure.
How you can recover from truck accident damages
Illinois follows a modified comparative fault system for personal injury cases. This means that you can recover damages as long as your share of the fault does not exceed 50%. If a court or jury determines you were 30% responsible for the accident, it reduces your compensation by that percentage.
You generally have to file your claim within two years of the accident date and you have five years for property damage claims. An attorney can work to prepare your documents to meet the deadline and help prevent your claim from being barred.
Compensation can cover medical expenses, lost wages and disability-related costs. Commercial trucks must carry higher insurance minimums than passenger vehicles, with most carrying at least $750,000 in liability coverage for non-hazardous freight. This higher coverage exists precisely because truck accidents tend to cause more severe injuries and extensive damages than typical car crashes.
