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Every year, statistics of truck accidents within the United States are released and every year an increase in these truck accidents usually occur. At the moment, Texas has the highest number of truck accidents, according to data provided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Not only does Texas have the highest number of truck accidents, it surpasses other areas greatly. The difference between Texas and California for example is 484 to 293.
The nature of the city and its roads make it a zone for such incidents. For example Texas is a home to many interstate highways which are well over 3000 miles in total length, and these highways are being plied by a large number of trucks on a daily basis. As a result, the percentage possibility of crashes is high.
According to Greg Baumgartner who is a popular Houston 18 wheeler accident lawyer, just as truck accidents are on the rise in Texas, a large number of truck accidents taking place in Texas lead to fatalities.
Due to the size of these trucks, their crashes tend to be greater and leave behind more impact. An 18 wheeler truck for example when fully loaded is over 10 times as heavy as a personal car, and would do a lot of damage to a smaller vehicle if they were to be involved in a crash.
Also, when driving at full speed, it takes longer to get a truck to stop than you would a small car. Any attempt to halt suddenly would need time and also stopping distance and as such, speeding could lead to fatal accidents, as the truck cannot be pulled to a halt fast enough when trying to prevent an accident.
Apart from weight and speed, drivers have a responsibility to ensure that they keep to every traffic regulation to avoid accidents. They should also ensure that their trucks are in perfect working condition and any fault noticed should be reported to the trucking companies for immediate repairs. It is also the duty of drivers to not drive when fatigued or after reaching their time limits for the day. These times can often be manipulated to bypass these laws, which should be looked out for.
Currently, the Texas state monitor is in charge of regulating commercial drivers and trucking companies alongside the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration- an arm of the department of transportation as they work to ensure safety from road accidents.
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