There are various reasons why truck accidents occur. Some of these may be the fault of the truck-driver, some because of passenger vehicle driver negligence, and some causes that are just unavoidable under the circumstances. The following is a list of the most common causes for commercial truck accidents:

1) Dangerous Actions of Passenger Vehicle Drivers: Although it is rare, not all truck accidents are caused by the truck-driver’s mistake. Some truck accidents occur due to unsafe driving practices by drivers of small passenger vehicles, such as:

• Entering traffic in the wrong manner, causing truck-drivers to brake or turn abruptly.
• Driving in the ‘no zone’ areas of a truck can lead to serious truck accidents. (The areas directly behind a truck, and the left and right rear quarters, are a truck’s ‘no zone’, meaning areas where the truck-driver has very little, and often zero visibility.)
• Trying to get ahead of a truck and then not managing to accelerate quickly enough.
• Changing your traffic lane suddenly and coming in front of a speeding truck.
• Leaving a stalled vehicle in the middle of a traffic lane and not getting it properly onto the shoulder of the road.
• Driving between big commercial trucks without keeping sufficient distance from the back and front of the trucks.

2) Unsafe Actions of Truck Drivers: Despite training and standards, truck accidents are often the result of a poor decision by the truck driver. Some of these dangerous actions include:

• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Dangerous, reckless, and aggressive driving practices.
• Insufficient training in truck driving and lack of defensive driving techniques.
• Speeding to meet unrealistic employee expectations or tight deadlines.
• Not taking enough rest and driving while fatigued.
• Backing-up the truck without looking properly behind them.
• Not securing heavy loads properly and with adequate support, which can cause the load to fall off and result in a truck accident.
• Loading the truck to more than its maximum capacity. This can put unnecessary strain on the truck tires and brakes, which can malfunction and cause truck accidents.
• Making sudden turns or turns at high speeds, which can cause the truck to flip over to any one side.
• Driving too close to the sidewalk or too close to ditches and potholes, without reducing the speed of the truck to compensate for poor driving conditions.
• Driving a truck that has mechanical faults and is in need of repairs.
• Not blocking the raised bed of a truck while working on it can cause trucking accidents.
• Some employers compensate truck drivers according to their time spent on the road or the speed in which they complete the job. Such practices encourage the truck drivers to speed or spend more time on the job without taking the required rest, which ultimately results in truck accidents.

3) Unavoidable and Unforeseen Circumstances: Sometimes a truck accident can occur due to circumstances that are beyond the control of the truck-driver, such as:

• Oil spills during rain that makes the roads slippery and conditions very unsafe for truck driving.
• Swerving or turning suddenly in order to avoid colliding with a broken down vehicle or another motorist or pedestrian.