Many semi-truck crashes are the fault of a commercial vehicle or its operator. Some crashes occur due to mechanical failures. Others are the result of a driver making the wrong decision based on traffic circumstances.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) assesses all reported collisions involving semi-trucks to identify what factors connect these incidents. Driver non-performance is one of the leading causes of semi-truck collisions. According to FMCSA data, roughly 12% of semi-truck collisions occur due to driver non-performance.
What leads to non-performance causing a crash?
The driver cannot do their job
The phrase “driver non-performance” is a technical way of saying that the driver was not capable of performing job functions at a safety-critical moment. They could not do what was necessary for their safety and the safety of others.
Perhaps the most common reason for driver non-performance is that they fall asleep at the wheel. Working long hours in a monotonous environment can result in drivers succumbing to exhaustion or boredom by falling asleep. Even falling asleep for a few seconds can be enough to lose control of a vehicle and cause a collision.
Non-performance can also relate to medical emergencies. The driver could have a cardiac event or a stroke while driving. They might have an allergic reaction or an asthma attack without medication to control their symptoms. Driver non-performance can lead to catastrophic collisions because truck drivers completely lose control of their vehicles instead of just making a single mistake.
Determining the cause of a semi-truck crash is the first step toward holding the right party accountable. Seeking compensation may require a complex insurance claim or possibly a lawsuit, depending on the circumstances.
Subscribe To This Blog’s Feed
