Like any type of auto accident, truck accidents happen for various reasons. However, truck drivers are in a unique situation because of the environment of trucking, the size of the truck, the cargo they carry, the hours they work, and the health conditions that often accompany the occupation.

Because of these factors, truck accidents often result from one of a few common causes. As our Atlanta truck accident lawyers have learned, the majority of the reasons why truck accidents happen is simply driver error. Consider what many believe are the most common causes of truck accidents:

Driver Fatigue

Truck drivers are at a high risk for drowsy or fatigued driving. Long work hours often results in truck drivers taking short naps, rather than getting a good night’s sleep. A federal study estimates that truck drivers get, on average, around 4.8 hours of sleep per day. More than half of study participants reported experiencing bouts of drowsiness lasting six minutes or more. Continue reading →