Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Alberta: Understanding Alberta’s Trucking Regulations and Driver Requirements
Goods and commodities are transported to people and industry in Alberta by commercial vehicles. These commercial vehicles require a special set of skills and trained operators to be driven safely. The Alberta government regulates both the operators and the trucks themselves to ensure the safety of Albertans that share the roads with these large commercial trucks.
For the operation of a “big rig” or “18-wheeler” an operator must obtain a special licence which is called a class 1 licence. Obtaining a class 1 licence involves training in the operation of air brakes (high-pressure air-assisted braking) and hydraulic equipment.
For commercial trucks that don’t need air brakes to stop, such as dump trucks, or large commercial trucks with be 3 or more axles, a class 3 licence is required.
Both of these licences are special licences which are different than the licence you would need to operate your car. Obtaining either a class 1 or 3 licence requires special training and experience. In some Canadian court cases, the courts have determined that “professional drivers” such as the drivers of these trucks who do so for a living, are held to a higher standard of conduct when driving than regular drivers on the roads.
Leading Causes of Truck Accidents & Collisions in Alberta
Here are some of the top causes of truck accidents in Alberta:
Fatigue and Distracted Driving
Driver fatigue is the largest contributing cause of crashes of commercial vehicles. When fatigued, a commercial driver will have reduced concentration and reaction time.
Commercial drivers are under pressure to deliver the most amount of goods in the least amount of time. Additionally, they may stop to rest in locations that are not well-suited to sleeping; for instance, on the side of a busy highway.
Distracted driving can be another major cause of crashes in commercial vehicles. Commercial drivers, like regular drivers, can succumb to the temptation of using cell phones while driving. Unlike regular drivers, commercial drivers are often on the road for many hours straight day in and day out. While most drivers are responsible and law-abiding, in some shocking cases there have been instances of drivers watching movies or playing video games while behind the wheel. The dangerous nature of this behaviour is obvious.
Poor Maintenance and Equipment Failures
Because of the dangers to the public if a commercial truck is not operating as it should, in addition to the driver requirements, each piece of equipment and the commercial vehicles must be checked in periodic inspections of the important operating and safety features of the trucks. This ensures that they are safe to be on the road.
While most drivers and businesses are responsible and law-abiding, there are irresponsible drivers who may not abide with these requirements. The result is some trucks will be on the road despite having severe maintenance issues. For example, we have had lawsuits where commercial truck tires had no tread on them while driving through mountain passes.
Despite how skilled a commercial driver may be, the upkeep of the truck is extremely important to avoid a crash.
Hazardous Weather and Road Conditions
Commercial trucks will generally operate regardless of the weather. Trucks are the backbone of our economy, and people and businesses must receive their supplies in a timely manner.
The conditions may be poor, but the professional driver must then adjust their driving to match those conditions. Poorly trained or inexperienced drivers may not be prepared for these conditions and may not make the necessary changes to reflect the increased demands on their driving.
Assessing a driver’s choices and reactions to weather can be important to establish who is at-fault in a personal injury lawsuit.
How a Personal Injury Lawyer from Our Firm Can Help You
At Preszler Injury Lawyers, we have decades of experience pursuing personal injury cases against commercial companies and drivers. We have the skills to guide you through your lawsuit when it involves the complexity of a large commercial vehicle and a professional driver. The insurance company for the commercial vehicle may be extremely difficult to deal with and will often make offers to you that are not appropriate for your injuries.
Our law firm has access to the experts that you need to ensure that the evidence in your case is the best evidence to establish your losses. When dealing with commercial vehicle lawsuits, knowledge is your advantage.
Things such as driver education, driver training, stopping distances, load weights, mechanical requirements and operation requirements, data logging devices, road conditions, and traffic behaviour requirements are just some of the considerations in figuring out the amount of blame that can be placed on a trucking firm.
If you have been in an accident with a commercial vehicle, we encourage you to tell us about what happened and learn more about your legal options. Please call 1-888-494-7191 to book a free initial consultation today with our Calgary truck accident lawyers. We represent all our clients on contingency, so there are no upfront costs to you. You will only have to pay if we win.
