For most people, the holidays are a joyous time, but for some, tragedy may strike. In Tampa and throughout Florida, the number of accidents involving trucks increases during the holiday season. In fact, Florida is one of the five deadliest states to drive in during the holidays in November and December, based on the number of lives lost in motor vehicle accidents.
There are steps you can take to help keep yourself and your loved ones safe. You can check your tires, use your seatbelts, stay within the speed limit, and never drive while impaired. However, no matter how safely people drive, there is always a chance they can be victims of other drivers who are not so careful.
Trucks, especially, cause many serious accidents. Automobile drivers and passengers in these accidents often suffer severe injuries because of the trucks’ greater size and weight. These injuries can range from fractured bones and injured internal organs to fatal traumatic brain injuries.
Truck Accidents in Tampa During the Holiday Season
There are many reasons why the number of truck accidents increases during the holiday season:
- Impaired drivers
With so many people celebrating at holiday parties, there are more drivers on the road impaired by alcohol and drugs. They can cause dangerous accidents that may involve multiple vehicles, including trucks. Truck drivers themselves may also be under the influence. Even if they were not out partying, they may be impaired by prescription or recreational drugs.
- Delivery driver fatigue
The volume of packages that are sent during the year reaches a peak during the holidays. Delivery drivers, who are typically overworked to begin with, are under even greater pressure from their employers to get all their packages delivered quickly. The result is that they may speed, drive long hours, and keep on driving even when they are dangerously fatigued. Add this to the greater number of delivery trucks on the roads during the holidays, and, unfortunately, your chance of being involved in a delivery truck accident in Tampa increases.
- Increased traffic
Not only are there more delivery trucks on the roads during the holidays, but there are also more cars and other passenger vehicles, with people out shopping and visiting their friends and families. The more vehicles on the road, the greater the chances of collisions.
- Inexperienced truck drivers
Delivery companies and online retailers need to hire more drivers during the holiday to deliver the high volume of holiday gifts. There’s always a shortage of truck drivers, and the problem is even worse during this season. Companies may hire drivers who don’t have enough experience driving trucks. These drivers may not be able to maneuver safely or know what to do in emergency situations. They can lose control of their trucks and crash into other vehicles. Even if they have experience handling trucks, as new employees, they may be less familiar with the company’s routes, which can cause them to become distracted as they search for their destinations.
- Drivers who are not well
Flu, COVID, bad colds, and other respiratory illnesses increase during the winter months. Some truck drivers don’t get paid for sick days and may push themselves to keep on working even if they are feeling under the weather. Driving while sick can cause drowsiness, slower reaction time, and trouble focusing. If the drivers take over-the-counter medications, that can make them even more drowsy.
- Bad weather out-of-state
Fortunately, drivers in Tampa, don’t have to worry about snow and ice, but long-distance truck drivers heading toward Florida will most likely encounter bad weather in other states along the way during the holiday season. If the weather slowed them down and put them behind schedule, they may speed up and drive recklessly to make up for lost time and try to meet their delivery deadlines as they reach the end of their journeys in Florida.
- Difficulty maneuvering trucks in traffic
Trucks are difficult to maneuver. They have large blind spots, long stopping distances, and make wide turns. Their large size and weight make them harder to handle in traffic, and they have extra problems in the heavier traffic of the holiday season.
How a Tampa Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help
If you were injured in an accident involving a truck that was at least partially the fault of the truck driver, owner of the truck, or anyone else involved with maintaining, repairing, or loading the truck, you may be entitled to substantial compensation for your injuries. A Dennis Hernandez Tampa truck accident attorney has the experience, knowledge, and resources to get you all the compensation you deserve for your medical care, lost income, and loss of quality of life. We have more than 25 years of experience helping Tampa accident victims like you and a track record of getting our clients excellent results.
Call us today at 855-529-3366 or fill out the FREE CASE EVALUATION form on our website to get the expert legal help you need. Our advice and legal services are free until you win your case.
