Commercial truck drivers stand out as highly responsible professionals. However, this is not the case with all of them. In fact, it is very easy to think that the exact opposite is the case because of how serious truck accidents are.
Whenever a truck driver takes unnecessary risks, like driving while drunk, there is a huge risk that a very serious collision will happen. And when that collision happens, people can die or be scarred for life. Remember that trucks can be as heavy as 40 tons, so this should easily highlight the potential damage of truck drunk driving.
Truck Driving Under The Influence Of Alcohol
The truck driver, just like any other motorist on the road, is not allowed to drive when they are intoxicated. However, as Philadelphia truck accident lawyers highlight, the requirements the truckers need to respect are stricter. With personal vehicles, you cannot drive if your BAC (blood alcohol concentration) is over 0.08%. With truck drivers, the limit is 50% of that, 0.04%. Also, the FMCSA forces trucking companies to regularly conduct alcohol and drug testing with the purpose of monitoring employees.
Truck Accidents Caused By Drunk Driving
Drunk driving leads to several different types of truck collisions in a frequent manner. The most common ones are the following:
- Rear-End Collisions – If the driver of the truck is intoxicated it is easy for them to not realize that the traffic stopped or slowed ahead. This would ram passenger vehicles.
- Drowsy Driving – The intoxicated truck driver has a higher possibility to fall asleep when driving. This often leads to drifting out of the lane.
- Head-On Collisions – Unfortunately, such collisions often lead to fatalities, with passenger vehicle occupants being at a very high risk. Drunk truck drivers are often seen causing such an accident as they end up driving on the wrong side of the highway.
- Jackknife Accidents – This happens as the trailer of the truck swings away. The intoxicated driver is usually at fault because of traveling at an inappropriate speed or not adapting to weather conditions.
- Rollover Accidents – Because of the high center of gravity of the truck, this vehicle is susceptible to rolling over during a crash. The drunk driver would often cause such a rollover when making very tight turns with an inappropriately high speed.
You Need The Help Of A Truck Accident Attorney
Whenever injured in an accident and the cause was a drunk truck driver, remember that you deserve to receive financial compensation to cover all property damages and medical expenses. However, this can be quite difficult when you are injured. As a result, it is a very good idea to hire a highly experienced truck accident lawyer. They will be able to discuss all your rights and the initial consultation is always free when you look for the very best injury attorneys specialized in truck accidents.
At the end of the day, your health and safety are much more important than anything else. So, in order to get the best medical treatments, the truck accident attorney will make sure you receive the highest possible financial compensation.
