A nighttime long-exposure photograph of a highway with red and white light trails from moving vehicles, captured brilliantly by experienced injury lawyers. The red light trails are from rear lights, and the white ones are from headlights. Road signs are visible in the distance, and the sky is dark.

New York State has some of the busiest roads in the country. When people do not drive safely on these roads, accidents can happen and people can get hurt. Truck accidents are some of the most dangerous accidents that can happen. They are the largest vehicle on the road and can weigh more than 30 times as much as a regular car. Because of its immense size and weight, a truck is much more difficult to navigate than a smaller vehicle. When truck drivers are not careful and do not drive safely, they are putting everyone on the road at risk. If you have been involved in a truck accident, an experienced attorney in Westchester County can help your case.

Types of Accidents

There are many different types of truck accidents that may happen while out on the road. Damages of a truck accident may depend on the size of the other vehicle involved in the accident. Some examples of truck accidents may include:

  • Head-on collisions
  • Rollover accidents
  • Blind spot accidents
  • Jackknife accidents
  • Underride accidents

Causes of Accidents

While sometimes accidents may happen at the fault of certain conditions on the road, other accidents may be caused by dangerous driving decisions. There are many things that factor into truck accidents that do not for other vehicles. Some factors may include.

  • Safety regulations: If a truck driver changes lanes improperly or pass other vehicles unsafely, they are violating safety regulations. This is also the case if they follow too closely behind other vehicles on the road.
  • Reckless driving: Trucks can be more difficult to control and bring to a stop if a truck driver is driving dangerously or over the speed limit. Trucks need a distance of about two football fields to come to a complete stop on the road. If they are driving too fast or unsafely, it can be difficult to navigate the vehicle.
  • Poor visibility: Because of their massive size, trucks have limited visibility on the road. They have large blind spots that often trap other vehicles and cause accidents.
  • Drowsy driving: Federal law limits truck drivers to a certain amount of hours spent on the road. Drivers are allowed to work 11 hours within a 14-hour work day, allowing them a maximum of 70 hours of driving a week. If a driver breaks these laws, they may cause an accident due to tired driving.
  • Mechanical problems: Trucks can sometimes fall victim to certain mechanical issues that can cause accidents. These issues may include tire blowouts, brake issues, breakdowns, and more.

Proving Negligence

In order to hold someone else responsible for your injury in a truck accident, you must prove them negligent. This requires you to collect evidence that proves the accident happened as a result of this failure to care for other drivers on the road. Many trucks on the road obtain a “black box” that records the speed of a truck before the accident happened. After the accident occurs, it is important to ensure this information is secured by the truck company or insurance companies before it can be deleted.

Contact our Firm

If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of a truck accident and seek legal representation, contact the Law Offices of Hausman & Pendzick today.

Hausman & Pendzick effectively represents victims of neglect in Westchester County and across the state of New York. If you need a knowledgeable and skilled personal injury attorney to help you recover compensation after an accident, contact Hausman & Pendzick today.