Georgia Truck Accident Lawyers Blog

When you think of trucking accidents in Atlanta, you might think of drowsy, fatigued truck drivers or speeding trucks and overturned loads. The truth is, there are a number of factors that can contribute to these accidents. As the interstates and highways grow more congested, it is now more important than ever to focus on these causes in an attempt to reverse the trend.

Although trucking companies have made a number of improvements to their safety training, recently released data still shows that we're still seeing an alarming number of trucking accidents on our roadways. Our Georgia trucking accident attorneys urge all motorists to be cautious when traveling around these powerful big rigs. There is only so much we can do as passenger-vehicle motorists to avoid an accident with a tractor-trailer. The rest of the responsibility lies in the hands of these truck drivers. It is important that they're all thoroughly trained and knowledgeable regarding how to safely operate their vehicles.

According to the 2006 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s report, about one in 20 drivers will be involved in a serious traffic accident. This study also concluded that there are approximately 141,000 truck accidents every year. About 77,000 of these accidents are the direct fault of the truck driver.

Here are the top 10 causes of trucking accidents:

-Prescription Drug Use: 26 percent.

-Traveling Too Fast: 23 percent.

-Unfamiliar with Roadway: 22 percent.

-Over-the-counter Drug Use: 18 percent.

-Inadequate Surveillance: 14 percent.

-Fatigue: 13 percent.

-Illegal Maneuver: 9 percent.

-Exterior Distraction: 8 percent.

-Inadequate Evasive Action: 7 percent.

-Aggressive Driving Behavior: 7 percent.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 3,000 motorists were killed in accidents involving these large commercial trucks 2008. Another 64,000 were injured in these types of traffic accidents. Less than a quarter of the people who were killed in these accidents were in the tractor-trailers at the time of the accident.

The NHTSA reports that more than 100 large trucks were involved in deadly accidents in Georgia in 2009 alone.

So how do we reduce the risks of these accidents? We could start by offering more extensive driver training. Continual education concerning medications may be a good start considering prescription drug use is the most common cause of trucking accidents. Currently, truck driving schools and trucking companies only use a three minute video during classes to illustrate the dangers of drugs and driving. Hardly seems effective, right? Newly licensed truck drivers need to fully understand the importance of applying simple over-the-counter drugs with an 80,000 pound machine. A 180-second video isn't going to get the point across to drivers about the dangers they present on our roadways. Drivers should be constantly reminded of the deadly consequences of mixing trucking and prescriptions drugs with quarterly safety meetings and current printed material on a regular basis.