Southern California is the setting for some of the world’s heaviest trucking traffic. That also makes it the setting for plenty of trucking accidents. If you’re injured – now or in the future – in a traffic collision with a truck, speak right away to an experienced California personal injury attorney. By looking at the causes of truck accidents, some drivers may be able to avoid them. Five of the most common causes of trucking accidents are:

1. Fatigue: Truck drivers are governed by federal trucking regulations. They may not drive for more than 14 hours after at least 10 hours of off-duty rest. Additionally, a trucker may not drive more than 8 hours straight after taking an off-duty break of at least 30 minutes. When drivers bend the regulations, it leads to drowsiness and accidents.

2. Aggression: A commercial truck, fully loaded, can weigh up to 80,000 pounds; obviously, it must be handled with caution. Aggressive truckers can’t react as quickly as drivers in smaller vehicles; this endangers the lives of other motorists. When truckers follow too closely, cut someone off, speed, or drive aggressively in any way, they are more likely than other drivers to cause accidents.

3. Distraction: Trucks have huge blind spots, so drivers who become distracted – by phones, food, or even by radios – can cause catastrophic crashes.

4. Inexperience: Trucking companies are required to train drivers and ensure their qualifications. If you’re injured in a crash with an inexperienced truck driver, a good personal injury lawyer may suggest filing a claim against the company as well as the driver.

5. Poor maintenance: Trucks are big, heavy, and hard to drive. Failure to maintain an 18-wheeler can lead to blowouts, brake failures, engine and transmission troubles, and other issues that can result in trucking accidents.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, or if you are the survivor of a loved one killed in a truck collision, speak to a good personal injury lawyer as quickly as you can. Compensation for personal injury is your legal right. In the San Diego area, if you or a member of your family has been injured in a trucking accident, contact experienced California personal injury attorney Gary Sernaker at (858) 509-0188, or email him at Gsernaker@gmail.com to discuss your rights and options under California law.