How Blind Spots Cause Major Trucking Accidents in Colorado

Blind Spots Cause Major Trucking Accidents

Written by Jeremy D. Earle, JD

February 15, 2023

Car Accidents in Colorado Springs with Truck Blind Spots

For recognizing other drivers, windows and mirrors are essential. Blind spots are risks that lurk around the edges of autos and trucks. A motorist in or out of a blind area might suffer catastrophic injury if the driver fails to apply care behind the wheel.
Drivers passing tractor-trailers and motorbikes driving close to other cars are particularly vulnerable to this sort of collision.
You are entitled to compensation for the losses you have experienced due to the driver’s carelessness. A Colorado Springs truck accident attorney can assist you in obtaining compensation for your medical expenses, missed earnings, and pain and suffering.

The Facts About Truck Blind Spot Accidents in Colorado

Accidents involving trucks may result in serious and life-threatening injuries. While the reasons for truck accidents differ, victims may be entitled to compensation from the at-fault party.

Truck crashes may be caused by various circumstances, including severe weather, poor road conditions, mechanical issues, and more. The great majority of truck accidents, on the other hand, are caused by driver mistakes. When investigating a truck accident, it’s crucial to figure out what caused the accident and who may be held responsible.

While the reasons for truck accidents differ from one to the next, the bulk of fatalities occur on major highways. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), major highways account for 51% of fatal collisions, followed by interstates and freeways (34%) and local roads (3%). (15 per cent).

Consider calling an expert lawyer to handle every element of your claim and help you get the compensation you deserve if you were injured or a loved one died in a truck accident.

Driver mistakes and carelessness cause the great majority of incidents involving heavy trucks. According to research conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), about 87 per cent of all truck accidents are caused by driver mistakes, ten per cent by car technical faults, and three per cent by environmental factors.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) acknowledges four forms of driver negligence:

  • Failure to perform (12 per cent). The term “non-performance” refers to a driver’s inability to operate a car owing to a physical issue (e.g., falling asleep behind the wheel).
  • Acknowledgement (28 per cent). This sort of carelessness occurs when a driver’s attention is diverted from the road by anything (e.g., using a cell phone while driving).
  • Make a decision (38 per cent). When motorists make bad judgments while driving, they are more likely to cause a car accident (e.g., misjudging the speed or the distance between cars).
  • Execution (nine per cent). When a motorist makes a mistake while driving, it might result in a collision that could have been avoided (like poor steering or bad maneuvering).
  • While a driver’s recklessness is the most common cause of truck accidents, other elements may play a role in huge truck accidents.

Causes of Colorado Truck Blind Spot Accidents

Passing a tractor-trailer may be a scary experience, as the car’s sheer size can terrify even the most experienced drivers. Blind spots exist on all four sides of a tractor-trailer, making it impossible for the truck driver to see cars surrounding them.

Truck drivers use their side mirrors to keep an eye on other motorists. Trucking firms often place warnings on the rear of trailers. These indicators inform drivers that if you can’t see the truck’s mirrors, the driver can’t see you.

While overtaking a tractor-trailer requires care, truck drivers must also be cautious of blind zones. A commercial truck driver who takes unnecessary risks behind the wheel may be held liable.

The following are some examples of harmful acts and behaviors that might impair a truck driver’s ability to consider blind areas while driving:

Drowsy driving

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) establishes industry rest break guidelines and regulations. A driver’s hours of duty mandate a set number of breaks for a specified length of time. A driver who is tired or sleep-deprived risks losing control of their tractor-trailer and maybe their cargo.

Drunk or drugged driving

Drivers may drink or use drugs due to long hours and an inability to relax during mandated breaks. Commercial truck drivers had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.04 per cent. This is half of the other drivers’ 0.08 per cent.

Driving aggressively

A truck driver who is speeding or acting aggressively is unsafe and perhaps fatal. A tractor-trailer may weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded and travelling at 65 mph in typical weather conditions. A collision with another motorist has the potential to transform everyone’s life forever.

Distracted driving

Truck drivers are not exempt from the perils of being distracted behind the wheel. Distractions may arise both inside and outside the taxi, from cellphones to advertisements.

According to the FMCSA, stopping a car driving at 65 mph may take up to two football fields. A truck driver who is fast or inattentive may not be able to stop in time to prevent colliding with your car.

Motorcycle Accidents and Car Blind Spots

A motorcycle’s low profile makes it harder for drivers to see in their rearview mirrors. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), blind spots may be found in about half of the space around a car.

The majority of motorcycle training involves teaching how to purposefully swerve behind moving cars. The weaving behavior of a motorbike driver in the rearview mirror is intended to notify cars of the cyclist’s presence.

Blind spots are a serious hazard for motorcyclists on roadways that are not the same slope as—or perpendicular to—a driveway or parking lot. In such circumstances, a driver’s distance and approaching motorbike speed may be misjudged.

The same harmful behaviors may cause motorcycle accidents as intoxicated, distracted, or aggressive driving. When a passenger’s driver engages in road rage, the consequences are often disastrous and fatal for the biker.

You may face unaffordable medical expenditures due to the injuries you sustained as a result of a driver’s irresponsibility. You may never be able to work again if you suffer a severe injury.

It is not right to be put in a financial bind due to someone else’s carelessness. If a motorist fails to give you a second glance or a second thought, they may be held liable for the damages caused by your motorbike accident.

Every driver must be aware of the dangers of riding a motorcycle. Consider taking legal action if your bodily, mental, or financial hardship results from a motorist who failed to share the road.

How a Truck Accident Lawyer in Colorado Springs Can Assist You

Operating a motor car demands both competence and accountability. Drivers in Colorado Springs who do not exhibit care around others put themselves in danger of suffering life-altering injuries and financial hardship.

By representing you in a civil claim and lawsuit, a truck accident lawyer can assist you. Truck accident lawsuits often settle outside of court. In most cases, insurance companies do not want to confront a truck accident lawyer in front of a judge and jury.

Negotiating a fair settlement is a difficult procedure that needs expertise and experience. Your truck accident attorney is familiar with the strategies used by insurance companies to pay as little as possible or to reject a claim.

When it comes to obtaining the compensation you deserve, this information is invaluable.

In truck accident claims, the following forms of compensation are possible:

Ongoing medical costs: Rehabilitation, drugs, and treatments

Medical costs: Medical transportation, hospitalization, and doctor’s fees

Lost wages: the money you’ll lose out on while you’re recovering

Lost future earnings: the money you’ll miss out on if you can’t return to work

Pain and suffering: the mental pain and overall effect on your quality of life

These kinds of damages may have been avoided if the guilty motorist had looked for blind spots. While each truck accident case is unique, and compensation is never guaranteed, do not accept anything less than what you are entitled to.

The Hidden Risks of Accepting a Settlement on Your Own

Serious injuries might leave you worried about how you’ll pay your expenses. Medical costs and other home expenditures may add up rapidly. Be cautious when an insurance adjuster approaches you while in the hospital and worries about your financial condition.

Before you have a chance to contact a lawyer, an insurance adjuster may entice you with a settlement offer. The sum supplied may seem to be the answer to your problem. Accepting their offer might be dangerous due to rising medical expenditures and uncertainties about your future medical demands.

Insurance companies want to settle your claim as quickly as possible and for the lowest amount feasible. You may not submit a new claim or bring a lawsuit if your medical condition worsens. You are barred from taking any further action or receiving extra compensation due to the settlement you accepted.

At this most vulnerable period, how you proceed now will have a significant impact on your future.

Blind Spot Accidents Result in Fatalities

A blind-spot collision may be catastrophic for both drivers and passengers. If someone dear to you died due to the negligence of another motorist, you might wish to file a wrongful death claim and lawsuit.

Your loved one’s passing is startling and sad. The emotional strain of coping with their untimely death might leave you unsure of what to do next. If the deceased had a financial influence on you, you might be concerned about your costs.

Funeral or memorial service planning may take up a lot of time, and it’s easy to lose sight of it. The idea of filing a lawsuit may enter your mind, but it will vanish as you tell your family and friends about your loss.

For you to fulfil the statute of limitations, you’ll need to move quickly. You may lose your chance for compensation if you do not submit your lawsuit within the time limit set by state law.

A wrongful death lawsuit may be brought for the following reasons:

Costs of a funeral and burial

Medical bills for your loved one’s injuries in the long run

Wages lost and future income lost if your loved one survives

Inheritance lost

There are two sorts of damages in wrongful death cases: economic and non-economic. Economic damages, such as those described above, have particular expenses. Non-economic damages include things like the loss of companionship offered by your loved one. A wrongful death attorney may communicate the loss’s worth to the insurance adjuster and, if required, in court.

On Colorado Springs’s city streets and freeways, blind spots pose a serious threat to everyone. It’s critical to seek justice if you lost a spouse, parent, or kid due to a motorist who failed to exercise prudence behind the wheel.

Important evidence Types

Insurance companies’ hesitation in settling a claim might cause them to blame the accident victim. To be successful in a civil claim or lawsuit, you must be able to demonstrate carelessness.

The following forms of evidence may assist your attorney in building your case:

Eyewitness contact information

An official police report

Photos of the accident location

Medical records describing your injuries

Medical costs linked with your treatment

Information about wages and employment

These are just a few examples of the kinds of evidence that might be useful in your case. You could have information on your computer that you don’t think is significant, but it might be quite useful in your instance.

Collect any relevant details about your accident, injuries, or loss. Important evidence can be misplaced or ruined. It is preferable to give your facts to an attorney as soon as possible.

Accidents in the Blind Spot Cost a Lot of Money

Your life is permanently changed the moment you have a blind spot accident. Your life changes after an accident, from personal injuries to losing a loved one, and it will never be the same again.

The financial expenses of blind spot accidents are in addition to the physical, emotional, and psychological effects.

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a kind of brain damage that occurs. If you or a loved one has experienced a traumatic brain injury, the severity of the damage may need medical attention. A Colorado skilled care facility might cost anything from $10,000 to $11,000 per month. This is an exorbitant monthly fee that the irresponsible party, not you, should pay.

Spinal cord injury: A patient with a spinal cord injury may have to pay for a power chair as well as adjustments to their house to accommodate the chair. The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation estimates that the average lifetime cost of a spinal cord injury is in the millions of dollars.

Funeral costs: The average cost of a funeral and burial is between $7,000 and $12,000. Expenses like this might be overwhelming at a time of grief.

These are just a few instances of the staggering expenses of blind-spot accidents in Colorado Springs and the surrounding areas.

Truck Accidents: 10 Common Causes

While there are many reasons for truck accidents, we’ve compiled a list of 10 of the most typical reasons for heavy truck accidents.

Excessive speed

To fulfil delivery deadlines faster and earn more money, many truck drivers break the speed limit or drive too fast for the weather/road conditions. Speeding, on the other hand, puts the speeding motorist and bystanders in danger of injury.

Due to their longer braking distance, heavy cars are more vulnerable to speeding. The average stopping distance of loaded trucks driving at 55 mph, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), is 196 feet. At the same speed, a passenger car’s average stopping distance is 133 feet.

Drowsy Driving and Fatigue

Regulations regarding service hours are in place for a purpose. These regulations are intended to prohibit truck drivers from driving when tired. The maximum amount of time truckers are allowed to be on duty is determined by hours of service laws.

When a truck accident happens due to a driver’s weariness, the trucking firm that employs the driver may be held accountable. Trucking businesses are notorious for pushing their drivers to their limitations or setting unrealistic deadlines that cause truckers to break the hours of service laws.

Driving While Distracted (Texting and Driving)

Trucking accidents are often caused by distracted driving and failing to pay attention to the road. According to studies, sending a text message on a handheld mobile phone while driving a car reduces the driver’s response time by 35%. For comparison, drivers under the influence of alcohol may experience a 12 per cent slowing in response time.

Drug or alcohol-related impairment

Many trucking accidents occur as a consequence of a trucker’s drug or alcohol impairment. According to research, 30% of truck drivers acknowledged using amphetamines while on the job, 20% admitted to using marijuana, and 3% admitted to using cocaine while on the job.

Prescription medicines may potentially affect a truck driver’s ability to operate a truck. Because truck drivers lead isolated lives and spend so many hours on the road, many of them turn to alcohol to pass the time. Due to reduced response times, poor judgement, and decreased alertness, driving while intoxicated increases the chance of an accident.

Poor Maneuvering Choices

Driving a huge truck is a difficult undertaking because of the car’s limited mobility and sheer bulk. While a motorist makes a single poor maneuvering move, such as turning too quickly or neglecting to indicate when changing lanes, devastating crashes are likely to occur. Truck drivers are more likely to cause catastrophic injuries and deaths when they make bad judgments.

Inadequate Car Maintenance is on the list.

Driver mistakes do not cause some truck accidents. Failure to keep a car in proper working order might potentially result in a truck accident. When an accident happens due to a mechanical breakdown, the truck owner, the trucking business, or the maintenance firm may be held accountable.

However, if a truck accident happens due to a manufacturing or design error, the injured person has the right to sue the car’s manufacturer. Large truck brake difficulties are among the most prevalent flaws.

Trucks that are overloaded

Many truck drivers and trucking businesses break federal restrictions governing the maximum cargo weight to enhance their revenues. As a consequence, a large number of trucks on our highways are overburdened. Overloading a car makes it less stable and harder to steer.

Driving Aggressively

Truck drivers spend days and weeks on the road. Truckers are more prone to get violent behind the wheel due to being on the road for lengthy amounts of time and being pressed by their business to make delivery dates. Consequently, we often see trucks that refuse to give the right of way, tailgate, change lanes without indicating, and run red lights. All of these actions raise the likelihood of a collision.

Driving at Night

Because there is less traffic at night, many trucks choose to travel at night. However, since roads are often dimly illuminated at night and drivers are more tired, nighttime driving poses a greater danger of catastrophic accidents.

Inclement Weather

Many truck accidents in the United States are caused by inclement weather. Truck accidents are more likely to occur when bad weather, such as snow, ice, sleet, or fog. The great majority of weather-related accidents, on the other hand, maybe avoided by taking additional care.

Truck Accidents: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Truck Accidents in Colorado Springs, Colorado: How Common Are They?

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation (DOT), large trucks and buses account for roughly 6% of all motor car accidents in Colorado, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation (DOT). In 2020, accidents in Maricopa County, which contains Colorado Springs, accounted for 72.50 per cent of all collisions in the state.

What Are the Most Common Injuries in Truck Accidents?

Due to the sheer size of heavy cars, truck accidents are likely to result in terrible and deadly casualties. In the United States, trucks with full trailers may weigh up to 80,000 pounds, posing a significant risk of catastrophic injury and death.

The following are some of the most common injuries suffered by truck accident victims:

  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Paralysis
  • Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
  • Fractured and broken bones
  • Internal organ damage and internal bleeding
  • Back and neck injuries
  • Loss of a limb
  • Lacerations
  • Severe burns

Because many patients need lifetime therapy, and others may never completely recover or walk again, a truck accident victim might face medical bills in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Who Is at Fault in Truck Accidents?

Because a large proportion of truck accidents occur while the truck driver is travelling for work, there may be several parties who might be held liable for the accident.

  • The truck driver
  • The trucking company that employs the driver
  • The owner of the truck
  • The company that leases the truck or trailer
  • Car manufacturer
  • Car part manufacturers
  • The company responsible for loading the truck
  • The company responsible for maintaining or repairing the truck
  • A government entity (such as in crashes due to inadequate road design or negligent road maintenance)

It may be difficult to ascertain who is accountable, which is why wounded people may benefit from getting the legal advice of a qualified lawyer to examine the accident and decide who can be held liable. To identify who is accountable, a lawyer will examine the truck driver’s logbooks, data from the car’s black box, images and videos from the collision site, witness testimonies, and other pieces of evidence.

What Is the Value of Your Truck Accident Claim?

The value of your claim, like establishing responsible parties, is determined by the facts of your truck accident.

Several factors determine the value of your claim:

  • The extent and type of your injuries
  • Whether you were temporarily or permanently disabled
  • The extent of your insurance coverage if any
  • The cost of car repairs
  • The cost of medical treatment and other expenditures linked to your recovery
  • The laws in your state

Consider hiring a competent attorney to assess the facts of your accident and calculate the amount of money needed to adequately compensate you for your losses and damages.

How Long Does a Truck Accident Claim Take to Resolve?

It’s almost difficult to predict how long it will take you to settle your truck accident claim without first assessing your specific circumstances. A victim’s claim may be settled successfully weeks or months after the accident, depending on various criteria. The settlement and litigation procedure in complicated instances might take a year or even many years.

The legal proceedings may be streamlined and expedited if you have a Colorado Springs truck accident lawyer on your side. The responsiveness and willingness to cooperate on the side of the insurance company and the at-fault party, as well as your lawyer’s bargaining skills and knowledge, determine the timetable and result of your truck accident case.

Will You Have to Go to Court for Your Truck Accident Case?

According to The Law Dictionary, only around 4% to 5% of all personal injury claims in the United States proceed to trial.

While most personal injury lawsuits resulting from truck accidents are resolved without going to court, some do. Injured plaintiffs often have the right to initiate a lawsuit against the responsible parties, but litigation may be a lengthy and costly procedure with no assurance of compensation.

Another benefit of resolving a lawsuit outside of court is that the parties may keep the specifics of their accident confidential. However, litigation may be required if the parties cannot agree on a mutually acceptable settlement price.

Do You Need to Speak with a Truck Accident Attorney?

Colorado Springs Truck Accident Attorney Jeremy D. Earle, JD

Lawyers are well-versed in transportation rules as well as all related state legislation. A lawyer can assist you in navigating the claims procedure and determining the true worth of your claim.

A truck accident lawyer will examine the accident and collect evidence to establish what caused it and who is responsible. In certain circumstances, accident reconstruction specialists may be required to identify how the accident occurred and who might be held liable for it.

A lawyer will also negotiate with insurance companies on behalf of the victim to maximize the settlement amount and guarantee that the insurer handles the wounded victim’s claim properly and honestly.

Travelling in and around Colorado Springs requires a concentrated effort. Consider seeking legal assistance if a distracted or otherwise irresponsible driver has caused you significant injury or the death of a loved one.

Following such a severe and sad catastrophe, the aftermath is intense and emotional. You may be irritated and enraged by the driver’s neglect to glance in their rearview mirror.

Your lawyer is well aware of your dissatisfaction. They may begin defending your rights against insurance companies attempting to underpay or even reject your claim. You don’t have to bear the brunt of your civil lawsuit on your own. Allowing an attorney to represent you allows you to focus on your healing or grieving.

Warrior Truck Accident Lawyers’ committed, experienced Colorado Springs personal injury attorneys can walk you through all of the above stages and more as we fight tenaciously to preserve your rights and get the compensation you deserve. Warrior Truck Accident Lawyers may be reached by phone at 719-300-1100 or via email.

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