Many residents of California and elsewhere are looking forward to the cooler weather of autumn and the Holiday season. However, it is important to note the traffic concerns whenever the weather changes, especially when it comes to sharing the road with large trucks.
Esurance cautions that along with the changes many people enjoy, autumn can increase traffic hazards in numerous ways. These include the following:
- Frost in shady areas in the early mornings
- Visibility challenges due to fog or sun glare
- Rain and mud making roads slippery
- Increased school traffic congesting roads
These hazards can be dangerous for anyone, but they are particularly deadly when large trucks are involved. The size and speed of big rigs, especially on highways, significantly increase the chances of injuries or fatalities in accidents involving smaller vehicles. Additionally, it is more difficult for truck drivers to maneuver their vehicles or to quickly reduce their speed in adverse weather conditions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 361 fatalities involving large trucks in California in 2017. This number was higher than the previous four years, indicating that truck accidents are an ongoing and increasing problem in California.
Many truck accidents are caused by truckers’ negligence, such as driving distracted, fatigued or too fast for conditions. Trucking companies may also be held accountable for such actions as failing to ensure the trucks in their fleet are properly maintained or for enforcing unreasonably long work hours for their drivers. Those who are impacted in a truck accident may wish to speak with a personal injury attorney about compensation for damages suffered in such an accident.
