Truck accidents involving commercial vehicles can be devastating. Injuries often require long recoveries, result in mounting medical bills, and disrupt lives. Understanding what counts as negligence is essential if you or a loved one has been harmed in a truck accident in South Carolina.
What Is Trucking Company Negligence?
Negligence by a trucking company occurs when the company fails in its duty to operate safely, putting the public at risk. This can happen in many ways, including:
- Improper hiring or training: Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring that drivers are qualified and trained to handle commercial vehicles safely.
- Failure to enforce hours-of-service rules: Fatigue is a major contributor to truck accidents. Companies that allow or encourage drivers to exceed federal limits are negligent.
- Poor vehicle maintenance: Trucks must be properly maintained to prevent mechanical failures like brake problems or tire blowouts.
- Ignoring safety protocols: This includes failing to implement proper drug and alcohol testing programs or neglecting to monitor driver performance.
Essentially, negligence occurs when a trucking company’s actions or inactions create unsafe conditions that lead to crashes.
What the Research Shows
The Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 (MCSIA) mandated studies to understand the causes of truck crashes. Following this, the Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS), conducted by the FMCSA and NHTSA, investigated nearly 1,000 crashes across 17 states.
Key findings relevant to trucking company negligence include:
- Brake problems were cited in nearly 30% of truck crashes, compared to only 5% for passenger vehicles.
- Speeding was more frequently coded as a factor for truck drivers, while fatigue was more common in passenger vehicle drivers.
- Driver errors were a factor in most crashes, but trucking companies are responsible for training, monitoring, and enforcing safety standards that prevent these mistakes.
The LTCCS database contains over 1,000 data points per crash, providing a comprehensive view of crash causes. This shows that while driver performance matters, company policies and oversight are critical in preventing accidents.
How Trucking Companies Are Held Liable
In South Carolina, victims of truck accidents can pursue claims against trucking companies when company negligence contributed to the crash. Some examples include:
- Overworking drivers: Allowing drivers to exceed federal hours-of-service regulations.
- Neglecting vehicle inspections: Failing to maintain brakes, tires, lights, or steering systems.
- Improper hiring or supervision: Employing unqualified drivers or failing to monitor their performance.
- Failing to follow federal regulations: Violating FMCSA safety requirements or ignoring drug and alcohol testing rules.
Taking Action Against Trucking Company Negligence
Truck accidents are not just about driver error. When a trucking company fails to enforce safety measures, maintain vehicles, or properly train drivers, it is responsible for negligence. If you or a loved one has been injured in a commercial truck crash in South Carolina, understanding company liability is the first step toward justice.
At Kyle J. White Law Firm, we focus on holding powerful trucking companies accountable. We fight for the hardworking people of Anderson and throughout South Carolina who have been hurt due to corporate negligence.
