Many different things can cause semi-truck accidents. In some cases, drivers are reckless or negligent. In other cases, trucking companies don’t properly maintain their vehicles. There are also plenty of accidents caused by drunk driving, distracted driving or fatigued driving.
One thing to consider that sets commercial driving apart from other modes of transportation, however, is that these drivers are being paid – and many are not getting an hourly rate. Instead, they are being paid by the mile.
Why would this lead to an accident?
The trouble comes when semi-truck drivers operate their vehicles in a dangerous manner to increase their own pay. If the only way to earn more money is to cover more miles, that could mean that a truck driver is willing to drive too fast for conditions, for example. They know they should slow down, but it will literally cost them wages to do it, so they keep the truck at the speed limit even when it isn’t safe.
This structure can also be a problem for drivers who end up getting caught in traffic, stuck behind a train or delayed for some other reason. Not only do they have the stress of a deadline that they have to meet, but they’re not being paid for the time that they are waiting. A driver may feel that they’ve lost an entire hour of wages while sitting in a traffic jam and begin speeding or driving aggressively to try to make up some of the money that they lost.
This isn’t to say that all truck drivers do this. Many follow the regulations and are very safe at all times. But it is important to understand that this issue exists, and those who have been injured in accidents caused by negligent drivers also need to know how to seek compensation.
