Quincy might not be one of the most well-known areas of Illinois, but those who are doing business in the state will be aware of how vital it is. Known as a regional hub for multiple industries, there is a significant amount of traffic on its nearby roads.
Large trucks are a common sight on Interstate 172, Highway 104, the Bayview Bridge and other roads. Their size, speed and propensity for crashes places people in jeopardy of serious injuries and fatalities.
Researchers have long sought to understand the main catalysts for truck crashes and one of the most comprehensive studies discussed them in detail. This can give people information on what to look for and potentially avoid a crash. It can also serve as a guide as to why the accident might have happened when thinking about how to proceed.
Study details common causes of truck accidents
To find out how and why truck accidents happen, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) joined forces with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to create the Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS). It looked at 963 of the approximately 120,000 such accidents that occurred over two years with a minimum of one person injured or killed.
They considered every aspect including the weather, problems with the vehicles themselves, driver behavior, their training and experience. Accidents were reconstructed, witnesses interviewed, other drivers consulted and the aftermath analyzed. Regarding crash risk, the researchers broke them down into two categories: critical event and critical reason.
Critical event boiled down to something happening that put the vehicle into the situation where it could not avoid the accident. Critical reason was the reason for the critical event. That could have been a mistake on the part of the driver, the vehicle having a mechanical issue or it being inclement weather.
An overwhelming number of accidents were found to be driver related with 87% falling into this category. This broke down to decision making (38%); recognition (28%); non-performance (12%); and performance (9%). Decision making could have been the driver going at an excessive speed, failing to judge other vehicles’ speed and following too closely. With recognition, the driver could have been distracted or not been paying attention as they should have.
Drivers are sometimes under strict mandates to get their delivery to its destination as quickly as possible and that might lead to speeding, drug use and lack of adherence to limits on how long they can stay on the road making them drowsy. These acts along with the possibility for snow, rain, brake failure, tire blowouts and other obstacles make the roads dangerous when sharing them with a large truck.
Local and experienced help is imperative after injuries in a truck accident
Given the problems that arise after a truck accident, it is important for people who have been hurt, had a loved one injured or lost their lives know their rights. There are certain steps that must be taken to try and recover compensation for all that was lost. This is especially important in truck accidents where there is a greater chance of catastrophic injuries.
Contacting experienced professionals who understand the plight of those who were unexpectedly in a truck crash is key. Having help that will do right by their clients, is compassionate and has the skill to look at the situation, accrue evidence and determine how to proceed can make all the difference in reaching a successful outcome.
Given the diverse population in the area, truck accidents can have a wide-ranging impact on people from various walks of life. Long-term injuries to younger people can upend their plans and force them to think about how they will be cared for and make ends meet. Older people who were planning on a peaceful retirement and were hurt in a truck accident may need to rely on loved ones and think about how they will recover. Employment can be difficult after truck accident injuries and income could be limited or completely lost. Accidents can happen without warning and when the crash involves a large truck, consulting with those who understand and care about their future should be a priority.