What Causes Oregon Truck Roll Over Crashes, Per Our Portland Truck Roll Over Crash Attorney
Everyone has seen it, whether in person, or in a movie or T.V. show: a large tractor trailer truck rolled over on its side, or even more frighteningly, on its roof. Even worse, many times, this scene is a winter weather one—where road conditions are particularly dangerous for those on the road. This kind of vehicle crash is not your ordinary vehicle crash because some trucks can weigh up to 40 tons, whereas a typical sedan weighs around 1.5 tons. Not only does the greater weight of a truck carry more dire consequences in a crash, but roll overs are not uncommon. In 2017, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMCSA”), the government entity that governs the trucking industry, reported that there were more than 17,000 truck roll over accidents. Contact our lawyers for any Oregon truck roll over crashes that cause serious personal injuries.
As mentioned, a truck roll over is when the truck, due to some sort of crash, is flipped on its side, or even on its top. While many are familiar with how overwhelming and tragic a truck roll over may look like, the causes of truck roll overs is perhaps less discussed. We explore them below:
- Speeding: Speeding is a major factor as to why truck roll overs happen. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) has published that recently, in one single year, speeding killed 9,378 people. There is a litany of reasons why a truck driver speeds, and they are not that different from those of non-truck drivers. However, there is one factor unique to truck drivers that may cause them to feel pressured to speed more often. Truck drivers are driving to meet certain deadlines and goals; assure certain goods and services get to where they need to be on time and efficiently; and work an amount of excessive hours in order to feed their families. Some truck drivers are working up to 70 hours a week and are squeezing in as much work as they can get.
- Substance abuse: Truck drivers are working long, hard hours, and they are tired and sometimes, bored. Amphetamines are becoming widely popular amongst truck drivers to stay awake and work longer hours, and alcohol remains a primary substance to abuse as well. Regardless of what drug is used, the central nervous system will be negatively impacted. Consequently, poor decision making will result, reflexes will suffer, and motor coordination will be impaired.
- Driver fatigue: As mentioned, truck drivers are working long, hard hours, and this runs the risk of major fatigue. A driver may be working too many hours and staying awake for too long, and accordingly, be exhausted. Truck drivers may nod off and cause a significant accident.
- Lack of driving control: Some drivers, especially the new and inexperienced, or even those who are distracted, may underestimate the decisions they are making when they are at the wheel. For example, wide turns: a sharp turn can lead to an imbalance in the truck, causing it to roll over. Visual miscalculations can become troublesome as well, as some drivers do not value the importance of simply looking both ways and in their rearview mirrors and in a truck. Truck drivers have to participate in defensive driving as much as the rest of the driving community. Finally, overcorrection is a problem if a driver has steered too far one way, since they need to correct it by going the other way, but not by too much.
- Vehicle defects: Just like other vehicles, trucks can experience failed brakes and low tires, or fail an inspection. The multitude of issues any other vehicle can have apply to trucks too.
Contact our Oregon roll over crash attorney today to get the help you deserve because of a roll over crash you have been in.
Ask our Trucking Accident Lawyers for Help in Oregon
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of a trucking accident or collision contact the Oregon Truck Accident Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form. We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.
Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles, St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.
We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take Trucking accident cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.
Please act quickly, there is a limited time (Statute of Limitations) in which you can bring a claim under the law.
