Summerville Truck Accident Lawyer
Large trucks, including 18-wheelers and semi-trucks, travel frequently on major highways around Summerville, South Carolina, including I-26 and I-95. In addition, large trucks are often seen on smaller roads, such as US 17 and even neighborhood streets, delivering goods to local businesses. While large trucks are necessary for many types of goods to be picked up from and delivered to their destinations, other motorists or bicyclists and pedestrians on the roads around Summerville should never have to worry about sustaining severe or fatal injuries due to a truck collision. However, these crashes occur with frequency, and one or more parties could be liable. Contact our experienced Summerville truck accident lawyer today to find out about filing a claim.
Learning About Summerville Truck Accidents
What should you know about large trucks and accidents around Summerville? According to the National Safety Council (NSC) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the following are some key facts and figures about trucking collisions:
- Approximately 5,700 large trucks were involved in fatal crashes in 2021, which represented an increase by 18 percent from the previous year and an increase of nearly 50 percent since 2011;
- More than 117,000 large trucks were involved in nonfatal injuries in 2021, representing a 12 percent increase from the previous year;
- Hundreds of fatal truck accidents occur in South Carolina alone, and the injury victims are typically occupants of smaller passenger vehicles;
- Most large truck serious and fatal accidents occur on non-interstate roads (about 74 percent), while about 26 percent of these crashes occur on interstates; and
- Unlike car accidents involving passenger vehicles, SUVs, and light trucks, most large truck crashes happen during the daytime.
It is important to know that one or more parties can be liable for 18-wheeler crashes and other large truck crashes in Summerville, including the truck driver, the truck driver’s employer, the company that loaded the trailer, the mechanic who worked on the truck, or the designer or manufacturer of a defective truck part.
Common Causes of Summerville Truck Accidents
Causes of Summerville truck accidents are similar to causes of other motor vehicle collisions, although fatigued or drowsy driving is a much more significant cause of 18-wheeler crashes due to the amount of time these long-haul truck drivers spend behind the wheel. Commonly cited reasons for large truck crashes include but are not limited to:
- Truck driver’s negligence, which may involve drowsy or fatigued driving, distracted driving, intoxicated driving, aggressive driving, or road rage;
- Another motorist’s negligence (such as a passenger car driver), which may involve the same or similar forms of negligence identified above;
- Negligent maintenance of the large truck or of another passenger vehicle involved in the collision;
- Improperly loaded 18-wheeler trailer;
- Defective truck or car parts, such as defective brakes or defective tires;
- Hazardous road conditions; and
- Inclement weather.
It is important to remember that all drivers, including truck drivers, have a duty to drive safely according to conditions. As such, if there is very bad weather and a truck driver does not slow down accordingly, they may be negligent and responsible for a collision even if they are traveling at the posted speed.
Contact The Stanley Law Group Today
Were you injured in a truck crash, or was a loved one fatally injured in a collision involving an 18-wheeler? Our firm knows how devastating these collisions can be, and we can speak with you about your options for seeking financial compensation, from an insurance claim to a lawsuit naming one or more parties. Contact our experienced Summerville truck accident lawyer today.
