Many accidents that happen today are caused by improper driving. Some causes include speeding, failing to yield, improper turning and disregarding traffic signs and signals. Many accidents involve large trucks and commercial vehicles. 
Last year alone, there were over 500,000 large truck and commercial vehicle accidents.
According to a study conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, about 55% of truck crashes were the direct result of the truck driver. In addition, if you look at the top 10 reasons accidents happen, you’ll see that most of them are driver-related.
1. Failure of truck driver to adhere to or obey the rules of the road
2. Speeding or unsafe acceleration
3. Under-inflated tires on big rig trucks
4. Cargo shifting or improperly loaded commercial trucks
5. Truck driver fatigue (over-driving without proper rest breaks)
6. Truck driver substance abuse
7. Improper braking or deceleration
8. Poor truck maintenance or shoddy repair work
9. Vehicular blind spots
10. Careless or reckless driving
Accidents not only affect others on the road, but they also affect your business. That’s why it’s important to know the laws and informal rules that have been developed over time to facilitate an orderly traffic flow, helping make the roads safer and preventing more accidents from happening.
Some of these rules include:
- Following the speed limit
- Learning who has the right of way
- The correct use of intersections
- Using turn signals
- Following traffic lights and signs
Are you focusing too much energy on fleet safety and accident prevention? Find out how you can improve the safety of your fleet so you can spend more time thinking about your core business. Download our free guide, ‘Do You Follow the Rules of The Road?’ and see how you can prevent accidents.
