What Are the Common Errors Made by Truck Drivers?

Scartelli Olszewski P.C.

There appears to be more and more large trucks on our local and state highways. In fact, it is hard to avoid encountering a large truck wherever we drive. You should be aware there are many common errors made by truck drivers that cause truck accidents to occur. Check out several of these below.

Failing To Perform an Adequate Pre-Trip Inspection

Before a truck driver heads out on a trip, they should always perform a pre-trip inspection. Many trucking companies require it. Inspections should be made of:

Engines
Fluid levels
Lights
Turn signals
Cabs
Tires

During this inspection, a truck driver may recognize that one of their lights isn’t working or that they have overinflated or underinflated tires. By dealing with these issues, they can reduce the chances of accidents.

Hitting the Road Without Monitoring Weather Conditions

The average truck driver travels about 500 miles per day. Because of this, they may end up driving through a few different weather patterns that could have them doing battle with everything from rain and snow to heavy winds — and sometimes even extreme conditions like hurricanes and tornadoes.

One of the many common errors made by truck drivers is failing to check the weather in advance. It can lead to them working their way through terrible conditions without making the proper preparations.

Truck drivers need to monitor the weather conditions that await them as they travel around the country. They can potentially bypass certain conditions by changing their routes, or at the very least, they can mentally prepare themselves for what’s to come.

Driving Above the Posted Speed Limits

The National Transportation Safety Board reports that speeding is the number one leading cause of fatal truck accidents in the U.S. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration backs this up by reporting that about 20% of fatal truck crashes involve trucks traveling between 70 and 85 miles per hour.

Unfortunately, many truck drivers have deadlines they need to meet, and they’ll sometimes try to meet them by driving faster than they should. It can cause them to lose control of their vehicles if they’re ever forced to stop quickly for any reason.

Neglecting To Take Blind Spots Into Account

Many large trucks have four blind spots, including:

Right in front of a truck’s cab
To the left of a truck
To the right of a truck and extending backward diagonally
Directly behind a truck

Truck drivers must use their mirrors to assess these blind spots as effectively as they can, especially when changing lanes or making turns. Other drivers must also familiarize themselves with these blind spots and stay out of them.

Eating, Texting, and Engaging in Other Distracting Activities

Distracted driving is an issue that affects all drivers, not just truckers. However, it can turn into an even bigger problem for truck drivers than other drivers. Distracted truckers are over 70% more likely to be involved in accidents than those who aren’t distracted.

Eating lunch or sending text messages while behind the wheel are a couple of the worst mistakes these professionals can make. These are common errors made by truck drivers that can end catastrophically.

Call Us If These Common Errors Made by Truck Drivers Led to Your Truck Accident

Did one of these common errors made by truck drivers lead to your involvement in a recent truck accident? Reach out to the law office of Scartelli Olszewski, P.C., for help with filing a truck accident claim.