Oklahoma Negligent Trucker Accident Attorney

Truck accidents can have many causes. Sometimes, a single crash can be set off by multiple factors, like dangerous roadways; botched or neglected maintenance or repairs; or defective equipment. Truck driver negligence or carelessness is also a key factor in many collisions.

Serious Obligations to Safety

Commercial truck drivers are required to meet a number of safety rules and regulations when driving their large, heavy vehicles. They are also required to use common sense and drive with care, remembering that safety is always an issue while on the road. Many truckers take these responsibilities seriously. When a driver fails to give safety the care it is due, however, serious injuries and even death can result.

Some common types of negligence include the following:

• Fatigue. Drivers are required by federal law to limit the number of hours they drive each day and each week, and to get a minimum amount of rest during their time off. Some drivers, however, try to "cheat" this system by fudging the numbers in their log books or by skipping sleep or rest when they're off duty. However, the human body's need for rest and sleep cannot be skirted for long. Fatigue sets in, reducing a driver's awareness and ability to respond promptly to potential dangers on the road.
• Distraction. Many things can distract a truck driver who is behind the wheel. Using a cell phone or sending text messages, adjusting a GPS system or another on-board tracking or communication device, talking to a passenger, eating, drinking, listening to the radio, or watching weather or roadside happenings can all distract a driver from his or her primary task: driving the truck safely. A distraction that takes the driver's eyes off the road for even a few seconds can be enough to cause a crash.
• Substance use. Drivers who skimp on sleep are particularly tempted to use drugs to make up for that lost rest. Some of these drugs, like caffeine, are legal; others, like amphetamines or other stimulants, are not. A driver may also use other drugs, whether legal prescriptions or illegal controlled substances, for a wide variety of reasons. Many of these drugs or their interactions with other substances can impair a driver's ability to operate a large truck safely, resulting in an accident.
• Failure to check or maintain equipment. Complicated truck repairs and maintenance are often the responsibility of the truck's owner, who may or may not also be the driver. Whether or not they own the truck, however, drivers have a responsibility to make sure their loads are stable and that important safety equipment like lights, mirrors, brakes, and turn signals are operating properly. A driver who ignores an equipment safety issue increases the risk of a serious crash.

Seeking Justice for Injury Victims throughout Oklahoma

Truck driver negligence is one factor that is easily preventable that can cause serious harm on the road. If you or someone you love has been injured in a truck accident, we can help you determine the most effective course of action to pursue your case and prove liability. For a free, confidential consultation with a dedicated OKC truck accident lawyer at Maples Harrison Zeaman PLLC, call (405) 705-5050. We will work tirelessly to help bring you justice.