When a truck accident occurs, the truck driver isn’t always to blame. The trucking company could be responsible for the accident. Find out about trucking company negligence and what it can mean for you.
What Is Trucking Company Negligence?
Some accidents are caused by negligence on the part of a trucking company. Issues like a lack of maintenance, poor hiring practices, and overworking employees are all examples of negligence.
The trucking company has a responsibility to keep their drivers and other drivers safe. If they fail to do so, you could take legal action. By speaking with an Atlanta truck accident attorney, you can seek compensation for your accident.
Common Types of Negligence
According to Cambre and Associates, there are several common types of negligence on behalf of the trucking company. If you want a better understanding of negligence, you should consider a few examples:
1. Lack of Maintenance
Truckers put a lot of wear and tear on their vehicles. Therefore, the trucks require regular maintenance and frequent repairs. They need regular checks to ensure that the vehicles work the way they should.
If a trucking company fails to provide maintenance or repairs, they put other drivers at risk. They could send a damaged vehicle on the road, which might result in an accident. This is especially true of issues like worn out brakes. When a truck’s brakes fail, the truck driver has no way of stopping. By failing to provide proper maintenance, the company acts in a negligent manner.
2. Negligent Hiring Practices
Most trucking companies carefully select their drivers. However, this isn’t true of all trucking companies. Some of them hire drivers that are unfit for the job. In certain situations, a driver might have a history of traffic violations. At other times, the company hires someone who does not have the necessary licenses.
If the truck driver was drinking or on drugs at the time of the accident, the company could also be to blame. If they hired someone with a history of drug or alcohol abuse, they acted in a negligent manner.
Every state has unique rules and regulations regarding truck drivers. For example, in Georgia, drivers need to be over the age of 18. According to federal law, every truck driver needs a state-certified CDL. Failing to comply with the local laws means that a trucking company is negligent. Additionally, it means that they could be responsible for an accident.
3. Overworking Drivers
Federal law limits the time truck drivers can spend on the road. If drivers are driving between states, they need to log their time. It needs to comply with the federal requirements.
However, some trucking companies put pressure on their drivers. They give deadlines that make it impossible to comply with the laws. As a result, drivers can become overtired. They are more likely to cause an accident.
4. Improper Loading
Improper loading of a truck can cause an accident. Unfortunately, some companies rush so much during the loading process that the vehicle is unstable. When the truck gets on the road, the driver could have a difficult time controlling the vehicle.
Improper loading sometimes happens in open vehicles, like dump trucks. When a poorly loaded truck reaches a high speed, debris can come loose from the truck bed. On a highway, this could cause a serious accident. Once again, the trucking company’s negligence is to blame.
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