Causes of West Virginia Truck Accidents

According to the Federal Motor Carry Safety Administration’s 2006 report, there are approximately 141,000 truck crashes every year. In more than half of those, the accident was the truck driver’s fault. The FMCA report further broke that figure down into percentage categories.

According to the FMCA 2006 report, the top 10 causes of truck accidents where the truck driver is a fault:

1. Prescription drug use (26%)

2. Traveling too fast (23%)

3. Unfamiliar with the roadway (22%)

4. Over the counter drug use (18%)

5. Inadequate surveillance 14%)

6. Fatigue (13%)

7. Illegal maneuver (9%)

8. Exterior distraction (9%)

9. Inadequate evasive action (7%)

10. Aggressive driving (7%)

Although I don’t have the figures for West Virginia truck accidents specifically, statistically it shouldn’t be that much different. However, I would guess that traveling too fast and being unfamiliar with the roadway would play an even larger role in West Virginia truck accidents, since the roads are so steep, windy, and narrow.

– John H. Bryan, West Virginia Car Accident Attorney.