Commercial transportation companies play a key role in the modern economy. They help manufacturers and importers get materials and products from their point of origin or entry into the country to a location where consumers or manufacturers can make use of them. Overland transportation is fast and relatively cost-effective, especially when dealing with perishable or extremely heavy items. Commercial transportation companies are also major employers in the private sector, offering blue-collar workers careers with competitive pay.
Unfortunately, the practices employed by these businesses can lead to some of the worst collisions that occur on modern roads. These are just a few of the ways in which many trucking companies put the public at increased risk of a wreck.
1. They fail to properly maintain their fleets
It can cost a lot of money to install new underride guards on a trailer or replace the brakes and tires on a truck. Delaying crucial maintenance or using cheap materials might lead to a truck failing or not performing as it should during an emergency. Poor vehicle maintenance is one of the reasons why commercial trucks are to blame for many commercial collisions between semi-trucks and passenger vehicles.
2. They make poor hiring choices
Transportation companies may put profit margins ahead of safety, endangering not just their employees but the general public. Obviously, hiring a driver with a history of causing crashes or substance abuse issues could be an unsafe choice. The wrong employee fixing vehicles or loading a trailer could also lead to a completely preventable collision.
3. They have inappropriate company policies
Businesses might motivate their drivers to violate traffic safety laws by altering their pay based on whether or not they get a load in on time. Similarly, rules requiring that drivers answer their mobile phones or continue driving even when they have exceeded the limit for how long they should drive might lead to drivers making mistakes at the wheel that they otherwise could have avoided without pressure from their employers.
When those affected by a commercial vehicle collision can connect the wreck to the actions of a transportation company, that may expand their options for compensation. Demanding appropriate compensation after a commercial vehicle crash is a reasonable and often necessary response to suffering harm as a result of the negligent or reckless actions or inactions of third parties.
