Across the US, every 16 minutes, a person dies due to a collision with a large truck. This is a scary statistic that should be known by both truck drivers and other traffic participants.
Truck accidents are pretty common in Florida, especially when compared to other data registered in other states across the US. Texas remains the state that leads the United States in trucking accidents, but Florida follows immediately after. In fact, the truck accident rate in the Sunshine State is higher than the national average. In Texas, California, and Florida, truck accidents represent over 7% of all fatal traffic accidents. This rate is twice more than the national average.
In Florida, between 180 and 300 truck accident deaths have been reported annually since 2007. Many more are injured, and many goods get destroyed in those accidents too.
How can truck drivers protect themselves?
Truck drivers need to protect themselves both financially and for their well-being. Besides practicing careful driving and avoiding putting themselves and other traffic participants at risk on the road, they also need to protect themselves financially in case of an accident. The best way to do that is with insurance coverage.
Truck drivers have plenty of options when it comes to which insurance plan is best suited for the nature of their job. For example, truck drivers who drive a truck without a trailer for commercial purposes need bobtail insurance coverage.
The common causes of truck accidents in Florida
Driving a near 18-wheeler with an average weight of 26,000 pounds and a trailer is no easy job. In addition, large vehicles such as trucks are a lot more challenging to move and control than average vehicles are.
And, truck accidents can happen for a number of reasons, but these are the most common ones:
Distracted driving
Truck drivers spend a great part of their day on the road, driving for several hours at once. Over time, this led to exhaustion and distracted driving. Besides that, they also have to complete many other tasks such as eating or drinking while also driving to meet their tight deadlines. What’s more, since they are away for several days, weeks, or sometimes months, they try to maintain contact with their loved ones and often find themselves texting or talking on the phone while driving to their next destination.
Poor truck maintenance
Poor truck maintenance is another reason that leads to truck accidents. Unfortunately, trucking companies responsible for providing drivers with trucks that perform smoothly and aren’t a danger for the drivers or other traffic participants often fail to do so to save money.
Overloaded trailers
There are many laws and restrictions on how much cargo a truck can carry. However, these regulations are often ignored, and trucking companies ask their drivers to transport more cargo than allowed. This affects the balance of the vehicle and can be a factor contributing to road accidents.
Reckless driving
Truck drivers that are forced by their employers to respect tight and absurd deadlines often end up practicing restless driving to make up time and get in time on their destination. For this reason, they run red lights and drive at high speeds.
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