Each type of truck has a weight limit, but trucking companies often resort to overloading the vehicle to make more money. This is extremely dangerous.
Phoenix, AZ – While the total number of crashes has been going down over the past few years, truck accidents are on the rise. And it’s not just in Phoenix, or Arizona, it’s the same all over the country. This is very bad news for the general population as truck accidents are more dangerous than regular collisions and often result in catastrophic injury or death.
Let’s have a look at the reasons behind this trend and what you can do if you’re involved in a truck accident in Phoenix.
The number of trucks almost doubled in a decade
According to statistics, in 2020, the number of trucks on US roads was up 85% as compared to 2010. In 2020 there were around 161.5 million public, private, and commercial trucks registered in the US.
Driver shortage?
Last year, trucking companies in the US reported a deficit of 80,000 drivers, according to the American Trucking Associations. To drive a big rig or a semi, you need a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and adequate training.
With more and more trucks on the roads, the argument that there aren’t enough qualified drivers seems to make sense. However, critics say there is no shortage of truckers. There are plenty of licensed truckers only they’ve had enough of the working conditions and the pay.
Trucking companies have a 95% turnover, which means that every year they replace almost all of their staff, which is unheard of in most businesses. Why would they let go of their drivers? To keep a lid on wages. You don’t like the wages? Move on and we’ll hire someone else.
Inexperienced drivers
Good drivers don’t come cheap so trucking companies rely on truckers with little to no experience and often turn a blind eye if the new employee has some traffic violations on their record.
If you’re in a crash involving a commercial vehicle, talk to reliable Phoenix truck accident lawyers right away. They’ll investigate the company’s hiring practices, check the trucker’s license and record, and find out whether he received adequate training. If they discover any violation of federal safety regulations, you can accuse the trucking company of negligence and hold them accountable for your damages.
Poor maintenance
With inflation at unprecedented levels, every business in the US is looking to cut costs and the trucking industry is no exception. One way of cutting costs is to skimp on truck maintenance. Keeping a truck off the road for a couple of days for routine maintenance means lost revenue. Then there’s the cost of replacing worn-out parts. Many truck accidents are caused by blown tires and defective brakes.
If you reach out to seasoned Phoenix accident lawyers, one of the first things they’ll do is write to the trucking company, demanding them to preserve all maintenance records. They’ll check whether the company complied with federal maintenance requirements, what repairs were done to the truck in the months before the crash and what parts were repaired. If it turns out the company failed to replace faulty parts, in legal terms that is called negligence and is reason enough for your attorneys to sue them.
Overloaded trucks
Each type of truck has a weight limit, but trucking companies often resort to overloading the vehicle to make more money. This is extremely dangerous as a trucker is more likely to lose control of the truck if the vehicle is overloaded or the cargo is not properly balanced and secured. Also, the overload puts a strain on critical parts, such as the brake system.
In such a situation, your lawyers may sue the trucking company, the shipping company, or the cargo owner. Or all of them, as in a truck accident you can have more liable parties.
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