Attorney Referrals

Truck Accident Causes in Michigan

Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Michigan

truck accident causes

You’ve been caught up in an accident with a commercial vehicle, and you have countless questions: Could you have done something differently to avoid a collision? What do your truck accident circumstances mean for your future chances at compensation? And what are the common truck accident causes in the state of Michigan?

At Lipton Law, the objective of our Michigan truck accident lawyers is to help you make sense of what’s going on and the challenges you face. Our lawyers strive to empower truck accident victims and their families through aggressive representation and post-accident education.

Throughout Michigan, our personal injury attorneys’ tenacious approach to litigation has earned us the respect of the legal community. We understand that you’ll want to focus on healing more than anything else during your truck accident case. Let our semi-truck accident lawyers handle all the heavy lifting while you focus on recovering from your serious injuries. To schedule a free consultation with us, please call our Michigan personal injury lawyers at 248-557-1688 today.

Types of Michigan Truck Accidents

As with all auto accidents, certain types of truck accidents are more common than others. Although commercial trucks make up less than 5% of all registered vehicles, they are involved in around 13% of all fatal truck crashes. It’s no surprise that semi-trucks and tractor trailers have the power to cause fatal injuries to those in smaller vehicles. Below, we outline some of the most common types of truck accident cases we see in Michigan.

  • Rollover accidents: Commercial vehicles are often large, heavy, and less stable than passenger vehicles. For this reason, large commercial vehicles are prone to rollover accidents. A truck driver can cause a rollover accident by speeding around curves or driving recklessly.
  • Wide turn accidents: If you’ve ever driven behind a semi-truck, you’ve probably seen a warning sign on the back of it. These signs caution other vehicles on wide turns. As truck drivers maneuver their cabs to make a wide turn, they may collide with other vehicles on the road.
  • Sideswipe accidents: When the side of a commercial truck strikes the side of a passenger vehicle, this is a sideswipe accident. These accidents can occur when truck drivers fail to check their blind spots.
  • Rear-ended collisions: These occur when large trucks strike the back of another vehicle. It takes a long time for large trucks to slow down, especially when they have a full load. This makes rear-ended collisions much more likely and dangerous.
  • Head-on collisions: This type of truck crash is one of the most deadly, as it involves the front ends of two vehicles colliding.
  • Jackknife accidents: Some commercial trucks have joints between where the truck drivers operate the vehicle and where the cargo is located. When the trailer swings one way and the cab swings another, this is a jackknife accident. They can affect multiple, if not all lanes of traffic.
  • T-bone accidents: A T-bone car accident occurs when the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another vehicle. These crashes are particularly deadly for passengers on the side of the impact, as they have very little protection from the incoming vehicle.

Reasons for Michigan Truck Accidents

michigan truck accidents

Commercial truck accidents can have severe outcomes even when they occur at relatively low speeds.

Although each incident is unique, contributing factors may include:

  • Drowsy drivers
  • Intoxicated drivers
  • Distracted truckers
  • Unstable cargo loads
  • Poorly trained drivers
  • Poorly maintained or defective machinery

Dealing with a truck accident can seem tough on your own, especially when it’s time to prove which of the preceding factors caused your truck accident injury. Drawing on decades of trucking accident representation, our Michigan 18-wheeler attorneys can help you get to the heart of the matter in court.

You can depend on our legal team to tirelessly pursue compensation so that you can put this matter behind you as quickly as possible. As your advocates, we will not stop fighting until we’ve secured a favorable result.

Driver-Related Truck Accident Causes

Many accidents occur as a result of driver error. Unfortunately, when truck drivers make mistakes, the potential consequences are devastating. A commercial truck accident can occur as a result of the following truck driver errors.

Truck drivers often work long hours, operating on very little sleep. Driving while fatigued is never a good idea, especially when drivers are operating large trucks. Although there are laws that limit the number of hours that a truck driver can work in a day, many ignore these regulations.

Many forms of reckless driving exist. Speeding, ignoring traffic signals, tailgating other drivers, and passing illegally can all count as reckless driving.

Obviously, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a bad idea. Many truck drivers live solitary lives without much time for their friends and family. This loneliness can lead to depression, substance abuse, and unfortunate accidents.

Texting and driving, eating and driving, and fiddling with the radio all count as distracted driving. Many truckers work long, boring hours and may be tempted to find a source of entertainment while on the road. However, it is extremely dangerous to take one’s eyes off the road for even a few seconds. That’s all the time it takes for an accident to occur.

Non-Driver-Related Truck Accident Causes

Other causes of truck accidents involve the trucking companies, mechanics, and other parties or causes. We outline these causes below.

Large trucks and commercial vehicles require regular maintenance and upkeep in order to operate effectively and safely. If mechanics or other parties responsible for the maintenance of these vehicles fail to do their jobs, this could result in disaster on the road.

It’s important to load cargo in a balanced and secure way. If a trucking company or another third party fails to properly load a commercial vehicle, they may be responsible for any accidents that occur.

Poor road and weather conditions can also cause accidents. Even while it’s raining or storming, truckers are pressured by their employers to meet strict deadlines. This could result in driving during bad weather, which increases the risk of accidents.

Trucking companies are also responsible for ensuring that their drivers are properly trained. Without adequate training, it can be very difficult to operate large commercial trucks. Knowing how to drive a passenger vehicle is not at all the same as driving trucks, so proper knowledge and training is required.

If a truck company pressures their employees to work long, tiring hours, they may be held responsible for any accidents that occur. Trucking companies often care more about their bottom line than ensuring the safety of their employees. For this reason, they’ll push their drivers to work longer hours. This can lead to driver fatigue and terrible accidents.

How to Prevent Truck Accidents

Other drivers on the road can take steps to reduce the risk of being involved in a truck accident claim. Below, we list a few defensive driving tips that you can use to reduce your risk of suffering severe injuries from a truck accident.

  • Allow the truck in front of you more space than you would allow another passenger vehicle.
  • When passing a truck, leave more space in front of the truck when you get back into the lane in front of them. This gives them plenty of time to slow down if needed.
  • Know what the semi-truck blind spots are and avoid them when possible. If a truck driver cannot see you, they cannot avoid colliding with you.
  • Give large trucks plenty of space when they need to make a turn.
  • If you need to pass a truck, do it quickly and safely. Taking too long while passing a large truck could leave you vulnerable in their blind spot for too long.

Do I Need a Lawyer After a Truck Accident?

truck accidents michigan

Although it isn’t a requirement to hire a Michigan truck accident lawyer for your case, we highly recommend it. Truck accidents have a tendency to be extremely complicated. Complicated cases require extensive knowledge and experience to litigate properly.

Additionally, a truck company may give you a hard time when it comes to paying for your medical bills, property damage, and other accident-related losses. They are for-profit companies, which means they’ll do whatever it takes to protect their bottom line.

The same principle applies to any insurance company you may deal with. Lawyers are well-versed in the ways that insurance companies try to avoid paying claims. We can defend your legal rights, fight for just compensation, and give you the justice you deserve after an accident occurred.

Who Can Sue After a Michigan Truck Accident?

An accident victim can sue the trucking company, the truck driver, the manufacturer of a defective part, or even a mechanic. It depends on who is deemed responsible for their injuries. If you suffered serious or life-altering injuries from a crash involving a large truck, you deserve fair compensation.

Truck accidents have the potential to cause painful, sometimes fatal injuries. You may be able to recover damages for the following losses.

  • Lost wages
  • Medical care costs
  • Loss of earning capacity
  • Property damage to your vehicle
  • Wrongful death costs if you lose a loved one
  • Non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering

Experienced Michigan Truck Accident Lawyers

Your legal options depend on the nature of your accident. Whom you decide to sue matters, and the grounds of your lawsuit can determine whether you’ll receive a favorable judgment or they’ll walk away on a technicality. Count on us to identify the most effective approach to take. At Lipton Law, we offer free consultations to clients before they establish an attorney-client relationship with us. This means that we protect what is in their best interest, and we refuse to accept a cent unless we secure a recovery for you.

Talk with one of our Michigan personal injury attorneys today by calling our office at 248-557-1688. We offer an initial free case evaluation, so you won’t have to worry about taking on more expenses with your growing medical bills. Don’t wait – take legal action to protect your rights and fight for the just compensation you deserve.