Garbage trucks use the roadway in a different manner from most other vehicles, which is why the circumstances and factors that contribute to garbage truck accidents are often unique. Here are some examples of garbage truck accidents:
- A driver fails to notice a pedestrian crossing the street and strikes them.
- Bald tires reduce the effectiveness of the truck’s brakes and the large truck skids into a head-on collision with a cyclist.
- A distracted garbage truck driver backs up and hits a vehicle or person behind them.
- A poorly secured truck backdoor allows garbage to fly out onto the road and obstructs the view of a passing car who then collides with the truck or another vehicle.
- A garbage truck driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs causes a fatal accident by running a red light.
What causes garbage truck accidents?
Garbage truck accidents happen more frequently than perhaps people realize. According to one recent study, in big metros like New York City, the number of garbage truck accidents has doubled in recent years. Some of the most common underlying causes for garbage truck accidents involve:
- Poorly maintained trucks, faulty brakes, broken directional lights, bald tires, tire blowouts.
- Driver fatigue, pressure from employer to meet deadlines.
- Bad driver behavior, speeding, distracted driving, drug and alcohol impaired driving.
- Illegal U-turns, backing up, reverse maneuvers.
- Safety violations, overweight vehicles, improperly secured loads.
Garbage truck accident attorneys conduct thorough crash investigations that get to the bottom of what happened. They identify liable parties and fight relentlessly to hold them accountable.