5 Reasons Why States Like Colorado Are Prone To Truck Accidents

The commercial trucking industry is a massive segment of the U.S. transportation system. Each year, millions of commercial trucks cover trillions of miles and transport various goods across the country.

Businesses rely on efficient and reliable transportation from raw ingredients to final products, from restaurants to retail stores. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about some states that have increased large truck accidents.

According to recent research conducted by the Highway Safety Institute (HSI), several states like Colorado tend to experience truck accidents at a higher frequency than others.

1. Older Roads And Infrastructure

Many heavily trafficked roads in states like Colorado are decades old and need repair. These roads can be more challenging to navigate, from potholes to poor lane markings and signage.

When these conditions are compounded by heavy traffic, it can be more difficult for drivers to anticipate and react to changes in their driving environment. When it comes to truck accidents, commercial vehicles are much larger and often have trouble navigating sharp curves and narrow lanes.

2. Heavy Traffic Areas

Many states like Colorado have large cities that consistently experience heavy traffic. Once commercial trucks are on the road, they have limited time to make all of their deliveries. This can be challenging in high-trafficked areas where drivers must remain at low speeds while navigating heavy traffic. Because delivery times are often tight, truck drivers may be less likely to take the time to navigate their way through heavy traffic carefully. This can increase the chances of a collision occurring.

3. Limited Sight Distance

Some state roadways have shorter sight distances than others. This can make it more difficult for drivers to anticipate potential hazards, especially if they are driving large trucks with difficulty fitting on the road.

In these instances, a commercial truck driver may not have a clear view of the road ahead, making it more likely for them to make an error or collide with another vehicle.

4. Careless And Reckless Behavior

Truck drivers may sometimes be at fault for their involvement in truck accidents. In states like Colorado, there have been instances of truck drivers who are either careless or reckless in their driving behavior. This may include driving while fatigued, unfamiliar with the vehicle’s controls, or driving too fast for the given road conditions.

5. Electronic Monitoring Violations

Electronic monitoring is when commercial truck drivers violate the terms of their electronic onboard recording device (EOBD) monitoring. A truck driver is responsible for an EOBD breach usually means that they have been caught driving a commercial vehicle while exceeding certain federal hours of service regulations. A commercial driver violating the terms of their EOBD device can increase the risk of a truck accident occurring.

Conclusion

Overall, there are several reasons why states like Colorado are prone to truck accidents. From older roads and infrastructure to heavy traffic areas to limited sight distance and careless or reckless driving, there are many challenges that truck drivers must navigate when on the road. When these challenges are compounded by a driver violating the terms of their EOBD device or driving while fatigued, the risk of a truck accident increases. Therefore, anyone can be held liable in a truck accident claim settlement.