Why Truck Drivers Who Speed Cause Deadly Accidents

Although large commercial trucks account for only about five percent of all registered vehicles in America, they are involved in approximately ten percent of all fatal accidents. The reason behind that is simple: Tractor-trailers and commercial trucks are large, heavy machines capable of inflicting a tremendous amount of damage in the event of a crash.

More Energy in a Crash Means More Harm to Others

In any vehicle crash, your injuries and the damage to your car result from energy being transferred from another vehicle to yours. The greater the mass of the other vehicle, the more energy it has, and the greater the damage it can inflict as a result.

For example, suppose that you are driving a compact passenger car, and another vehicle collides with you. You would expect a large pickup truck or SUV to cause greater harm to you than a similarly sized passenger car. In the same way, large commercial trucks, which have far greater masses than passenger cars, can therefore inflict greater injuries in the same circumstances.

However, energy also depends on speed. A truck traveling 70 miles per hour has considerably more energy than a truck traveling at half that speed. Thus, when a trucker decides to disobey the law and speed, they are turning their already dangerous rig into a machine that is capable of inflicting catastrophic and fatal injuries on fellow motorists. Trucks that exceed 50 mph are more likely to cause injuries and death than commercial vehicles that are traveling more slowly and within the speed limit.

Contact a Tampa Truck Accident Lawyer Today

If you or a loved one have suffered harm at the hands of a commercial driver, enlist the help of a skilled truck accident lawyer firm to recover the compensation you deserve. Call Shrader Mendez & O’Connell at (813) 360-1529 or contact us online.