Millions of Americans are injured or killed in motor vehicle accidents every year. Staggering statistics reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that the majority of accidents involving cars, trucks and SUVs could have been prevented if proper driver safety was applied. An automobile accident can completely alter your life and impair your physical and mental health. A fully loaded eighteen-wheeler can destroy any other vehicle on the road upon impact. Many passengers or drivers involved in truck accidents require a lifetime of care due to traumatic and severe spinal or head injuries.

    There are many different reasons people get into car accidents, but NHTSA statistics show that fully 98 percent of reported automobile accidents involve a single, distracted driver. Rubbernecking was the highest percentage of single distractions, followed by driver fatigue, looking at scenery or landmarks, passenger or child distractions, adjusting the radio or other music form and cell phone use.

    The causes of most truck accidents tend to fall into two general categories: driver error and vehicle maintenance failure. The most common cause of driver error is fatigue, which can cause clouded judgment, drowsiness, and falling asleep at the wheel. Driver error can also be due to inexperience, improper driver training and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (whether prescription or illegal). Deregulation of the trucking industry has resulted in an increase in speed-limit violations among tractor-trailer drivers as well.

    If you or someone you know has been in an auto  or trucking accident, please contact The Barclay Law Firm immediately. After an accident, there are so many things to think about, and getting the money you need from the insurance companies can be a difficult job. Hiring an experienced attorney can save you months of stress and help you cut through the red tape to get the money you deserve. Call us now. We can help.