Holidays mean family time for some and time out for others, but it is fun or exciting for all of us. However, some holidays come with unexpected disasters. It is observed that there is a rise in truck accidents over the holidays. Truck accidents are difficult to cope with. An experienced Orlando Truck Accident Lawyer would better understand truck accident claims and liabilities and is the right person to meet if you are involved in one. Read the article to get an insight on the subject, and let’s begin!
Are the number of truck accidents rising during holidays?
Indeed! Holidays have become the busiest time of the year due to the increasing number of e-commerce shopping, trucks that come with blind spots, lack of trained drivers, and several other reasons for a growing number of truck accidents. U.S. Department of Transportation states that 42,915 people died on America’s roads in 2021, where about 16% of them were on urban streets, and 13% had large trucks involved. The fatality rate due to road accidents reported was the highest since 2007. Therefore the issues shall not be overlooked so are the accident claims! (Nation’s Roadway Safety Crisis). It is observed that truck drivers are experiencing stress due to tight schedules during holidays that are leading them to take risks while driving. These drivers tend to take new roads, which is also a significant cause of accidents. Moreover, the increasing demand and deadlines propel retailers to hire inexperienced truck drivers. Likewise, long shifts also make these drivers tired and acquire driving fatigue. These are considered the primary cause of truck accidents.
Winter weather: Dropping temperatures and slippery roads add more difficulty for drivers. Moreover, trucks being larger vehicles for the drivers to control, winter weather of holidays can’t be brushed away when talking about the causes of truck accidents during the holidays. However, some other reasons include the following:
Lots of pressure: Meeting delivery demands add more stress for truck drivers. Retailers, e-commerce, and changing lifestyles have added more pressure on truck drivers. Long drives and continuous driving put them under pressure. Also, some drivers get under the influence of drugs and drinks to alleviate anxiety or stress. These factors cause fatigued driving and, thereby, accidents.
Lack of training: Retailers and marketing businesses get into their job in full swing during the holiday season, which reduces drivers’ training period. Also, they encourage drivers to take shortcuts or risks while driving to meet demands.
Distractions: Distractions from drivers or other people on the road create a dangerous situation. When put in continuous shifts away from family, truck drivers could be a distraction. At the same time, some of them engage with their family on call or message while driving.
Now comes the critical question – who should be held liable?
Who is liable? Why is the driver not always held responsible?
When you are harmed in a truck calamity, your immediate instinct would be to hold the driver liable for the injury or loss. However, you should understand there might be a few parties negligent of their duties. Let’s consider some factors here to understand liability better:
● Truck drivers: If the police report states that the truck driver has been driving recklessly, the driver should be held liable. Speeding, driving under the effect of drugs or liquor, and violation of traffic rules are some factors for which drivers are held accountable.
● Truck companies: Improper maintenance of trucks, hiring inexperienced drivers, and if they are encouraging drivers to take risks while driving to meet the demand are some of the factors that bring the truck companies to liability.
● Part manufacturers: In some instances, the accidents involving trucks are caused due to defective parts of the trucks. The manufacturer is held liable for approving the part without proper quality analysis.
Therefore when you are injured in a truck accident, you can’t speak much without analyzing this information. Moreover, if you speak Spanish, you don’t want to get into trouble by miscommunication. Therefore taking the help of a Spanish Speaking Personal Injury Attorney would be the wisest decision you could make.
Conclusion:
After two years of a global pandemic, family time and celebrations were the ones everybody longed for. However, understanding reality helps you be cautious of your decisions. If you have been hurt in a truck accident, it doesn’t have to limit your legal rights. When the other driver was at fault, you are entitled to get the compensation you deserve. Therefore collecting the evidence right after the accident is essential, which could be stressful when you are already going through a lot of pain and stress. Thus taking the help of an expert attorney is essential.