In the state of Nevada and throughout the United States, there have been concerns regarding the current shortage of qualified truck drivers available for much needed work. As a matter of fact, a large part of America’s economy is highly dependent upon truck transportation. Despite the fact that we are in the year 2020 autonomous, self-driving trucks are not available to us even in the near future.
Car crashes that involve large trucks—particularly semi-trucks and trailers—are much more likely to cause serious and even fatal injuries to accident victims. This is because the sheer size of these vehicles eclipses the size of regular passenger cars. As a result, trucking accidents put the well-being and lives at risk of other drivers, passengers, bicyclists, as well as pedestrians. When there are less well-qualified truck drivers on the road transporting these goods—which sometimes can be hazardous—people are at an even higher risk of an accident resulting in injuries or even death.
Truck Driver Shortages
Industry trucking officials report that the shortage of truck drivers in America can be as high as 175,000 by 2026, according to Bloomberg news reports. This number is forecasted based on the presumption that there is not a significant increase in people wanting to become truck drivers in the United States. The reason for this presumption is because trends show that fewer and fewer people are choosing to enter the field of truck driving, mainly due to the occupation’s requirement of long hours behind the wheel—often times across state lines. Moreover, experts have predicted human truck drivers to be replaced by self-driving trucks causing younger generations to choose other trades or occupations with a more optimistic future in regards to employability.
The trend becomes a cycle. Since autonomous trucks are in the industry’s future and less people are entering the field, companies may be hiring less qualified truck drivers to transport goods across the U.S. With fewer truck drivers on the road but no decrease in the amount of work that needs to be done, drivers will likely work longer hours—raising the risk of fatigue and, ultimately, accidents. Unfortunately, truck drivers are being pressured regularly to exceed the federal standard of maximum allowable hours of service. With a shortage of truck drivers, these pressures will likely get worse.
Trucking Accident Dangers
There are several causes of trucking accidents in Las Vegas, Nevada. The five most common causes include:
- Driver fatigue: Overworked drivers–especially when there is a shortage of qualified truckers–is common due to pressure to deliver within set deadlines causing poor quality sleep;
- Poor driver training: Truck drivers are required to maintain a minimum amount of training hours to keep their commercial driver’s license, when a poorly trained driver will little experience gets behind the wheel accidents are bound to happen;
- Improper truck maintenance: Truck owners have a legal obligation to ensure their vehicles are in top condition before going out on the road, however, due to the costs and time involved this does not always happen;
- Driving under the influence: Many truck drivers have been found guilty of using alcohol and drugs while on the job, which is a recipe for a fatal accident;
- Overspeeding and overtaking: Due to tight deadlines and risk of losing their job if they fail to meet them, truck drivers sometimes drive at speeds above the posted limit and when passenger cars try to overtake these trucks the result can be catastrophic.
Truck Accident Attorneys
If you have been involved in a Nevada truck accident, contact the Las Vegas personal attorneys at Matt Pfau Law Group. Our lawyers will help you during this difficult time to get the monetary compensation you deserve. Contact us today to schedule your initial case evaluation.
