Due to their sheer size and weight, commercial vehicles like tractor-trailers and semi-trucks can cause serious and even deadly accidents. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), over 4,100 people were killed in truck accidents in the United States in 2018. Many of these accidents occurred due to negligent behavior on the part of truck drivers. Some were due in part to trucking companies failing to properly screen their drivers or to otherwise comply with state and federal laws and regulations.

While every accident is different, the most common causes of truck crashes are these:

• Driver fatigue — Federal laws require truck drivers to take breaks after driving for a certain amount of time. A fatigued driver is more likely to cause a catastrophic accident. Unfortunately, trucking companies sometimes pressure their drivers to cut corners, resulting in overtired drivers being on the roads for extended periods.
• Excessive speed — Speeding is always dangerous and especially so when a tractor-trailer is involved. The maximum weight for an 18-wheeler in the United States is 80,000 pounds. By contrast, the average car weighs around 4,000 pounds. That disparity in weight can lead to devastating damage to the lighter vehicle and to serious personal injuries for its occupants.
• Distracted driving — Activities that divert drivers’ concentration and attention to the road are now the chief cause of motor vehicle accidents in the United States. While federal rules prohibit truck drivers from texting or using mobile phones when they drive, distracted driving continues to occur frequently.
• Drug and alcohol use — Studies reveal a high rate of drug abuse among truckers, including reliance on amphetamines to keep awake on long excursions. One study found that nearly 30 percent of truckers used drugs and that 21.3 percent relied on stimulants.

These behaviors on the part of truck drivers also count as commercial driver’s license violations and truckers who are caught engaging in them risk losing their CDLs. In Connecticut, a CDL is mandatory for operating trucks of certain types and sizes. Getting a CDL requires a number of steps, which vary depending on the type of CDL a driver is pursuing. Truckers must go through specific training and testing before they can obtain their CDLs and start working.

In addition, tractor-trailers and semi-trucks are heavily regulated. Trucking companies have an obligation to make sure their drivers are not in violation of any federal or state laws. This includes conducting a background check when they hire a driver, using random drug testing to screen drivers and making sure drivers are medically fit to operate their vehicles. Companies must also ensure that drivers continue to meet all requirements for a CDL.

The personal injury lawyers at Gesmonde, Pietrosimone & Sgrignari, L.L.C. help people who have been injured in truck accidents. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call us at 203-745-0942 or contact us online. We also offer consultations and appointments via, Skype, FaceTime and Zoom.