Trucking Accidents in Arizona

by Doug Zanes | Last Updated: May 26, 2015

The statistics around trucking accidents – and to be clear – we are discussing 18 wheelers hauling large trailers (aka the Walmart, Safeway, Swiffer trucks) can be alarming.

According to a 2015 accident report, over half a million trucking accidents occur every year in the United States alone.

What’s worse is that about 5,000 of those result in death often the passengers in the smaller vehicle.

Having an accident with these massive trucks can be a horrifying experience as the sheer size and weight of such vehicles can tumble over crushing cars next to them, exploding after an accident with another large vehicle and many times, smaller cars are crushed beneath the crunching wheels of these beasts… In fact, we all just recently heard Tracey Morgan beat death by just a hair in a horrendous trucking accident.

2015 statistics dictates that 1 out 8 traffic fatalities involve a truck and that number is rising as the trucking industry reaches it trillion dollar mark in revenue this year.

Unfortunately most people know very little about the topic of trucking accidents and its only after their horrific accident that the consequences become a reality.

Factors Contributing to Trucking Accidents

Driving on any road holds the risk of danger and a potential accident but that danger is compounded when the following negligence comes into play on the truck drivers end:

Driver Fatigue: Truckers across the nation have trucking regulations that dictate how long one can driver, how far one can drive, amounts of breaks and on and on. However, a larger number of these accidents are caused because the very driver is fatigued either because they chose to drive the extra miles rather than rest or the company itself pushes its drivers to push through longer hours than they are required.

Driving Under the Influence: As hard as it is to believe, so many people (truckers and others alike) continue to get behind the wheel while under the influence.

Inattention: There is a simple lack of being present and paying attention to the road ahead. In fact, Arizona had a hugely publicized trucking accident whereby the driver was driving while on his cell phone watching pornogrpahy. Although the cabin of his truck had a camera, he had deliberately covered it up to hide his “no cell phone use” violation.

Defective Equipment: All of these trucks are on the road for hundreds of thousands of miles. Without proper maintenance and updated services to the machine that runs the beast, accidents can occur without notice.

Improperly Loaded/Overloaded Truck

Lack of Proper Truck Driving Training or Experience

Dangerous Weather: Weather such as this include the Arizona dust storms which should be an indication for the trucker to stop but many of them don’t due to wanting to meet a schedule deadline.

Excessive Speed: We have all experienced a huge 18 wheeler barrel past us on the highway as we grip the steering wheel to keep from veering off the road.

Why This is Important to the Injured Party (YOU!)

The factors above are imperative as trucking accidents can become very complex very quickly.

Hiring an attorney almost immediately after a trucking accident may actually save your life in almost every regard.

When an accident of such magnitude occurs, the evidence gathering process is almost immediate. Trucking companies have their own representative out on the accident scene to collect evidence and to begin to construct a position of “It wasn’t our fault.”

With numerous parties involved including the truck driver (who can be transient because of travel and thus hard to serve), the trucking company. the equipment manufacturer, other negligent drivers…

And now your own collection of evidence?

And now a government entity may be involved?

After being in one of the most terrifying accidents one can encounter?

It’s time to get a personal injury attorney…

Yeah we think so too…

And do it ASAP.

Doug Zanes: Founding Attorney Raised in Douglas, Arizona, and went to college at Arizona State University and graduated from law school at St. Mary’s University School of Law in Texas. Doug began practicing law in Phoenix Arizona in 1997.