The Worst Wasn’t Over: Breakdowns Cause Fatal Truck Accidents in Palm Beach

It’s your worst nightmare: your tire blows out on a deserted road at 3 a.m. You push the car to the side of the road, and get out to inspect the damage-when suddenly a truck comes barreling down the road toward you.

This may seem like an unlikely scenario, but to the hundreds of people each year who are injured in breakdown truck crashes in Florida, it’s a terrifying reality. They thought their breakdown was the scariest thing that could happen-until a trucker speeding down the highway proved them wrong.

What are the main reasons breakdowns cause truck accidents in Palm Beach?

• One accident causes another. Drivers are naturally less focused on avoiding an accident after they have just been in one. They are already panicked, and have a natural instinct to leave the vehicle-often putting them in harm’s way.
• Nighttime driving. The majority of breakdown accidents happen after dark. Since a dead battery will kill the lights on a car, there is less chance of being seen-adding to the already overwhelming number of nighttime truck crashes in Florida.
• Driver inattention. Truckers have a history inattentive driving, but they’re not the only ones not paying attention. After a breakdown, many motorists will get out to inspect their cars, describing the damage to someone on their cell phone-and not watching the road behind them.
• Road conditions. Potholes, gravel piles, construction barrels-all have caused cars to blow tires and veer off the road, causing heavy trucks behind them to brake far too late.
• Bad weather. Breakdown truck accidents are more likely when there is low visibility. During rainstorms or heavy fog, a truck may not see a broken-down vehicle until it’s too late to stop, causing heavy damage to the much smaller car.

As experienced Palm Beach truck accident attorneys, we know that these accidents rarely end in a simple injury. Due to the lack of breaking, low visibility and increased weight upon impact, those hit while standing at the side of the road are not likely to survive the accident.

If someone you love was injured or killed in a truck accident in Palm Beach, we can help you seek justice. Call Fetterman & Associates today at (866) 865-1244 for your free consultation.