When most people in the Knoxville area think about truck accidents, they think of the kind that involves other motor vehicles. Many commercial vehicle collisions involve pedestrians. People who are walking down or across the streets become unsuspecting victims of negligent commercial vehicle operators. According to American Trucker, large commercial vehicles cause more than 140,000 injuries on the roads each year. 

Semis, big rigs and trailers are so heavy that when one takes into consideration speed, force and other contributing factors, it becomes easier to understand the potential for victims to end up with serious and life-threatening injuries. There are many factors that can lead to truck accidents. 

  •        Speed
  •        Alcohol and other substances
  •        Type of vehicles involved
  •        Vehicle operator experience
  •        Mechanical failure
  •        Negligent driving behavior 

While passenger style cars are more likely to cause truck accidents, those involving commercial vehicles are more likely to cause some victims a great deal of pain, suffering and financial duress. Recovering from accidents that involved trucks is not always easy. 

How to prevent truck accidents 

The New York Times states that almost 25 percent of work-zone fatal motor vehicle accidents involve trucks and large commercial vehicles. Motorists can reduce the number of commercial vehicle accidents that occur by keeping track of their driving actions. Enrolling in refresher driving courses, paying attention to the roads, extending proper traffic and driving courtesies and obeying all traffic laws are other ways that driver can make the roads safer. 

They should also be mindful of their vehicles’ position when riding near commercial vehicles. Drivers should not make abrupt stops in front of moving trucks. They should also avoid driving too closely behind semis and other types of trucks. Trucks take longer to stop and operate. Regular motorists are not always capable of moving their vehicles in time to avoid collisions. 

Truck accidents are hard to walk away from without injuries. Because they have the potential to seriously disrupt one’s life, it is important for victims to make provisions in advance and get expert legal advice.