Human error is responsible for a lot of accidents in life. Some mistakes can be minimal, while some can be costly. While trucking accidents can be devastating to the lives of anyone involved, they are not always the fault of a driver. Mechanical failures in an 18-wheeler can be enough to cause wrongful deaths and catastrophic injuries.
These failures are more common than someone might expect. About 10% of all truck accidents are a result of non-human errors.
Types of vehicle errors
A semi-truck can have a lot of errors that it may experience. When thousands of pounds of cargo are driving down the highway, even a slight malfunction is enough to send the whole vehicle spiraling. Types of this minor errors include:
- Brake problems
- Tire problems
- Cargo shift
- Defective signals
It can be easy for a driver not to notice a potential failure, especially if they develop during a single 18-hour trip.
What this means for the victim
In the majority of personal injury claims from a truck accident, liability for the victim’s injuries belongs to either the driver or their employer. If a mechanical failure was responsible for the accident, it might be possible that the manufacturer of the failed component is liable. This liability can open new avenues for an accident victim to pursue their compensation.
Look through all the facts
Any commercial truck has thousands of components that are necessary for a driver to deliver their cargo. All it takes is one part to slip up to cause a life-changing injury.
