When a truck accident occurs in Georgia, victims often face life-threatening or life-altering injuries. According to a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, serious vehicle defects and long hours behind the wheel increase the risk of a trucker causing a crash.
The IIHS has been researching serious truck accidents for many decades. While the number of accidents has improved, research has shown that fatigued truck drivers and trucks with defects have remained a persistent problem. For this study, researchers found that approximately 75 percent of the trucks involved in accidents had vehicle defects that were identified when the trucks were inspected after the crash. In fact, trucks that had out-of-service violations were four times more likely to become involved in serious truck accidents.
When driver-specific factors were analyzed, it was discovered that truckers age 60 or over were more likely to be involved in accidents than younger drivers. Furthermore, those who had driven at least 12 hours after an extended sleep period were found to be 86 percent more likely to become involved in a truck accident than drivers who had operated their trucks for less than eight hours.
Crashes involving commercial vehicles often result in serious injuries such as traumatic brain injuries and broken bones. In some cases, these injuries could prevent a person from working and earning an income. If a trucker causes such an accident, a personal injury attorney may work with the insurance company to seek compensation for damages. In cases where an agreement cannot be reached, the lawyer may file a lawsuit against the truck driver and the company that employed the driver.
