What Kinds of Truck Driver Errors Cause Commercial Vehicle Accidents?

Last Updated: April 16th, 2024

Texas leads the country in truck accidents, truck accident injuries, and truck accident fatalities. That’s no surprise, given that Texas has the largest number of truck drivers in the U.S. The state also has the second-highest number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by commercial trucks. The more you know about how these crashes happen, the better you can protect yourself on the road.

The Most Common Truck Driver Errors

Big truck crashes happen for many reasons. They’re not all within the driver’s control. But, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration  (FMCSA) says most semi-truck and other large commercial motor vehicle accidents are caused by the truck. Some of those collisions are caused by defective parts, faulty maintenance and other non-driver problems. But in most cases, the driver is at least partly at fault.

A lot of the mistakes and missteps truck drivers make on the road are the same as any other driver might make. But the size and weight of the truck mean the results can be far more deadly. Some common examples include: 

• Speeding
• Turning or changing lanes without a turn signal
• Pulling out ahead of a smaller car
• Driving too closely behind another vehicle
• Neglecting to obey posted signs
• Changing lanes frequently
• Turning too widely
• Failing to check blind spots
• Disobeying the right of way

What Causes Truck Driver Errors? 

You may have noticed that although these actions are described as “errors,” many of them are actually just bad decisions. Tailgating is aggressive driving. A distracted driver may make an error such as cutting off a vehicle they didn’t notice, but the true cause is the fact that they were looking down at a text message instead of paying attention to the road. Or, a driver who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol may misjudge a distance or be slow to react–the mistake might be failing to brake in time, but the underlying cause is drunk driving. The same sorts of mistakes may happen when a driver chooses to operate a commercial motor vehicle while too fatigued to drive safely.

How Common is Truck Driver Negligence? 

Operating a large commercial truck requires training and special licensing. Truck drivers are subject to more regulation than other drivers, including more extensive testing, vehicle inspections, lower thresholds for DUI charges, medical exams, and even required rest periods between driving. Most of us would like to think that these regulations are keeping us safe. We’d also like to believe that drivers operating 80,000-pound vehicles that can crush a passenger car would take that responsibility seriously. Many do. Others abuse that trust and put others on the road at risk. 

Distracted Driving in Truck Drivers

Distracted driving is a serious problem in Texas and across the country. Truck drivers are no exception. The most recent data from the FMCSA shows that about 250 fatal truck accidents each year involve an inattentive or distracted trucker. While the type of distraction or inattention isn’t listed for most of these crashes, some that are specifically listed include: 

• Being distracted by someone or something outside the truck
• Talking on a cell phone
• Dialing or otherwise handling a cell phone
• Other engagement with cell phone
• Using or reaching for objects in the vehicle
• Eating or drinking
• Daydreaming

Driving a Truck Under the Influence or While Fatigued

The same study showed that on average, more than 100 fatal large truck accidents each year involve a truck driver who was under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or prescription medication. More than 60 each year fall asleep at the wheel or are driving while fatigued. A few dozen additional truckers each year black out behind the wheel. 

Speeding

Speeding is dangerous for any driver, and all the more so when the vehicle you’re driving is large and heavy. Big trucks are harder to maneuver than smaller vehicles under the best of circumstances, and a high rate of speed gives the driver even less time to react. It also takes longer to stop a large, heavy vehicle, and stopping time increases with speed. 

Because of these added dangers, many states have a separate, lower speed limit for truck drivers. Texas does not. 

In 2023, the FMCSA reported on large commercial vehicle driver inspections from the prior year. Speeding was by far the most common moving violation discovered, with 117,745 total violations. Speeding accounted for more than 10% of all driver violations, and more than 21,000 of those violations involved traveling at 15 mph or more over the speed limit. 

Injured By a Negligent Truck Driver?

Truck drivers, like all drivers, have a responsibility to follow traffic laws and to operate their vehicles safely. When they violate that trust and injure someone, they are typically held liable for the damage they caused. In some cases, the trucker’s employer or another party may be responsible. 

If you’ve been injured by a careless truck driver or have lost a loved one in a truck accident, you owe it to yourself to learn more about your rights. Schedule a free consultation with a Texas truck accident attorney today.