The number of accidents on high speed U.S. roadways continues to fall as the years and decades pass. Federal and state governments have invested money in campaigns to help minimize drunk driving . A problem that still needs attention in some cases is engineering and design. Because road engineering has improved across the board, speed limits are higher than ever before and drivers have come to expect roads to be well-designed to promote safe travel. Because of the higher bar for road quality, motorists and commercial drivers are caught by surprise by poorly designed roads, resulting in terrible wrecks. Each year, hazardous roads result in more commercial truck accidents than any other cause. Missouri truck accidents can be divided into accidents caused by roads that are poorly engineered; accidents caused by roads that are poorly maintained – roads that are in disrepair, are poorly lighted or inadequately signed; and accidents caused by hazards in the road. Hazards in the road such as tire debris, animals, or items that have fallen off of moving vehicles will always pose a risk to drivers, but road engineering and upkeep can be improved to eliminate these factors as a potential cause of wrecks.
Poor road design and lack of consistent upkeep is most dangerous on major roads where high speed driving occurs. Any change in the road, such as an incline or decline, curve or dip, must be accounted for. Building an interstate highway often requires blasting through bedrock or building up a low spot . Mountainous areas often require boring major tunnels. Safety is the motivator of these major engineering projects; research has demonstrated that straight, even roads with gradual changes in elevation are least dangerous. Curves in the road require careful banking so that vehicles will not flip over when turning at high speeds. Even the width of lanes and the design of entrance and exit ramps can become the subject of Missouri trucking accident lawsuits. Accident rates are consistently and predictably higher in areas that are inadequately designed or poorly maintained. Sections of road on major commercial truck routes that are poorly engineered or maintained are especially dangerous because the majority of high speed truck accidents have dire consequences and are often fatal.
18-wheel commercial trucks are particularly dangerous for several reasons. They are, of course, considerably larger and heavier than all other vehicles on the road. They are legally permitted to carry loads up to 80,000 pounds; the massive amount of momentum that these weights entail makes for very long stopping distances – even with the best air brakes. Rollover accidents are more common with loaded trucks due to a higher center of gravity than other vehicles. While hazardous roads are often a contributing factor to an accident, a Missouri truck accident attorney often finds that road design is not the sole cause. Other factors may include brake and tire problems, distracted or aggressive driving, bad driver judgment, poorly loaded vehicles, and driver fatigue.
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