Among the most catastrophic types of roadway accidents that occur on the streets of Fontana, across California, and throughout the United States are those involving semi-trucks. These types of roadway collisions present some of the most challenging types of cases for a skilled, experienced Fontana semi-truck accident lawyer. Because anyone who finds themselves in a motor vehicle is at some risk of becoming the victim of a big rig accident. With this understanding, there are a number of common causes of serious and even deadly Fontana semi-truck accidents. These include:
- Distracted driver
- Vehicle defect
- Speeding
- Reckless driving
- Driver fatigue
- Impaired or intoxicated driver
- Poor driver training
- Improper rig maintenance
- Weather and roadway conditions
Distracted Driver
Distracted driving represents one of the most frequent underlying causes of a semi accident on the highways and streets of the United States, including in the state of California. Compiling evidence and proof of a distracted semi-driver is a challenging endeavor and demands the professional assistance of a seasoned Fontana semi-truck accident lawyer. Examples of distracted semi driving include, but are certainly not limited to:
- Talking on mobile phone
- Talking to a passenger in the cab
- Texting (yes, that is still happening despite a concerted effort to bring this dangerous practice to an end)
- Drinking
- Eating
- Smoking
- Using GPS
- Reading a map
- Adjusting in-cab entertainment system
Vehicle Defect
A seasoned Fontana semi-truck accident attorney is well aware that a commercial 18-wheeler is a complicated piece of machinery. In a good number of California semi accident cases, some sort of vehicle defect is the cause of or at least contributed to a collision. Semi defects come in a number of different forms that include:
- Semi design defect
- Component part design defect
- Semi manufacturing defect
- Component part manufacturing defect
- A combination of design and manufacturing defect
- A vehicle or part defect created during the shipping of a semi or part to an end-user
Prevailing in a claim or lawsuit derived from some sort of defect demands identification of the specific issue. This crucial endeavor is best accomplished through the resources that an experienced Fontana semi-truck accident lawyer brings to a case.
Speeding
Semi drivers are prone to many of the same faults of other motorists, including speeding. The thing with big-rig operators is that they actually may be more apt to speed than a typical motorist because there can be a financial incentive for these women and men to go more miles in the shortest period of time possible. Establishing that a serious or deadly semi and passenger vehicle collision may require the assistance of an expert accident reconstructionist, a resource that can pr accessed by retaining the services of a Fontana semi accident attorney.
Reckless Driving
Big-rig operators may also operate their vehicles in a reckless manner. While it is dangerous enough when the driver of a standard passenger car engages in reckless driving, this type of roadway malfeasance is magnified manifold when the driver is behind the wheel of a massive semi-truck. As a Fontana commercial truck accident lawyer will confirm, the results of an impact between a recklessly driven semi and another smaller vehicle nearly always is catastrophic – and not for the rig operator.
Driver Fatigue
Driver fatigue represents a pervasive issue with long-haul truck drivers. As mentioned elsewhere in this discussion, rig operators are pressed to stay on the road and keep moving as fast as possible, even when that breaks speed limits and even federal guidelines regarding the amount of time a driver can be behind the steering wheel of a semi. Unfortunately, each and every year trucking companies and semi-drivers are discovered to have doctored records regarding time behind a wheel, including in the aftermath of a serious and even fatal accident. A Fontana semi-truck accident lawyer is well aware of the prevalence of this nefarious conduct and knows how to take steps to uncover it and fight for justice for an accident victim in the aftermath.
Impaired or Intoxicated Driver
In addition to fatigued semi drivers, impaired or intoxicated rig operators cause a significant number of serious and even deadly commercial truck accidents in the United States, including in California. A Fontana semi-truck accident attorney with an established track record confronts these types of cases involving an impaired or intoxicated semi-truck driver with alarming regularity. As an additional note, these are also situations in which trucking companies and drivers attempt to conceal a rig operator’s history of this type of egregious (and illegal) conduct.
Poor Driver Training
Unfortunately, everyday men, women, and children take to the streets and highways, they are sharing the road with at least some poorly trained commercial truck drivers. The grim reality is that some trucking companies rush to get new drivers on the road. (Trucking companies are only making money when their rigs are moving. Their semis are only moving when they have drivers behind the wheel, regrettably including some big rig operators that simply do not have proper training.)
Demonstrating that a big rig operator lacks proper training requires the compilation of a considerable degree of material evidence. The surest way to bring this type of evidence together and make a compelling case for compensation is by retaining the experienced professional services of a tenacious Fontana semi-truck accident lawyer.
Improper Rig Maintenance
Yet another underlying common cause of semi-truck accidents is improper rig maintenance. Big rigs must have routine, regular, and comprehensive maintenance. As a Fontana semi accident lawyer will explain, time and again some trucking companies try to cut corners when it comes to timely and comprehensive maintenance. They take this course because it theoretically allows rigs to remain on the road and not lose as much time as really is necessary when it comes to appropriate vehicle maintenance. A seasoned Fontana semi accident lawyer understands what needs to be done to pursue a claim and lawsuit based (at least in part) on an allegation that a trucking company failed to properly maintain a semi-truck.
Weather and Roadway Conditions
Finally, weather and roadway conditions can underpin a semi accident. The reality is that oftentimes in such a case a semi-driver should not have been on the road in the first instance because prevailing conditions made operating a massive commercial truck an inherent risk. In addition, oftentimes an accident in which weather conditions played a role result in consequences because of some other reason. For example, a semi-driver may have gotten on the road in inclement weather, encountered a storm-related motoring issue but was distracted at the time, and failed to respond to a problem in a reasonable manner. In other words, despite a weather-related issue, an accident reasonably could have been avoided if a big-rig operator was not distracted by something like talking on the phone, eating and drinking, or some other activity that resulted in a lack of full attention on operating a semi-truck.
The first step in retaining the services of an experienced, committed Fontana semi-truck accident lawyer is to schedule an initial consultation. As a matter of general practice, a typical Fontana semi-truck accident attorney will schedule an initial consultation with a commercial truck accident victim at no cost and no obligation. In this day and age, many Fontana semi accident law firms will not only schedule in-person appointments but also virtual ones using digital technology and the internet.