Inexperience is a reason for many truck accidents in Texas, and it’s problematic for those who share the roads with commercial trucks. A huge one, such as a semi-truck, colliding with a car, SUV, or pick-up truck typically results in substantial damage to one or both vehicles due to the size discrepancy. There’s also the high risk of injuries and loss of life after an accident occurs, not just to the vehicle’s occupants but also to pedestrians or other drivers in the vicinity. Having a Texas lawyer on your side, whether you’re the victim of the accident or their kin, can prove invaluable. Let’s discuss how inexperience can lead to truck accidents in Texas and what you should do if you’re a victim of one in the Lone Star State. 

Accidents With Mail and Package Carriers

Getting into a trucking accident isn’t just about colliding with a vehicle like a semi-truck; it may also happen with mail and package carriers you see daily on Texas roads. For example, you might get into an accident with a UPS or Fed-Ex truck, making it ideal to contact a Fed-Ex or UPS truck accident attorney who knows how to handle such cases.

It may seem intimidating to go up against such major companies, but a UPS or Fed-Ex truck accident lawyer who has been through the process before will know what to do. They’re not just skilled in handling any random collision. Teaming up with a Fed-Ex or UPS truck accident lawyer means working with someone who knows how to manage those specific cases.

Problems Stemming From Lack of Experience

Many problems can arise from a lack of experience. Although truckers primarily need time on the road to gain the valuable experience that can make them better equipped to handle situations, rushing the process, not putting in the time to learn, and overall inexperience could lead to the following problems (and then some):

  • Poorly Loaded Cargo: Expert truckers are qualified to know all there is about the cargo they’re carrying, including how it should be properly loaded, whether they’re over the weight limit, and indications that may signify potential freight problems on the road. Someone without that experience could make significant errors with the cargo that can lead to devastating accidents in Texas. 
  • Subpar Navigation Skills in Inclement Weather: Driving a car, pick-up truck, or SUV in inclement Texas weather is much different than navigating a commercial truck. A trucker who goes into the task assuming it’s the same and/or not following proper safety measures could skid into another driver, roll over, or hit into the back of a vehicle in front of them. 
  • Rushing Through Safety Checks: Safety checks exist for very important reasons. An inexperienced driver could easily rush through them in an effort to impress their boss, meet a tight deadline, or simply just to speed through the process to get back on the road. Missing even one aspect could be detrimental.
  • Bad Handling of the Vehicle: Expert truckers in Texas know how to handle their commercial trucks in a variety of scenarios and environments, including rush hour, rain, late at night, when the sun is shining in their eyes, and many others. Poorly handling the commercial truck in any or all of these environments and scenarios can lead to horrible accidents. 

Issues Caused by Inexperience

Experience can produce more qualified truckers, but a lack thereof can mean certain issues, such as the following, could arise with inexperienced drivers in Texas.

  • Not Thinking Clearly: It’s vital to think clearly while driving a commercial truck through Texas. Every trucker knows what triggers prevent them from truly focusing while driving, but an inexperienced trucker likely doesn’t have enough time on the road to have those factors fully realized. 
  • Driving While Tired: It’s not uncommon for truckers to hit the road while they’re exhausted or start off fine but reach a point of feeling fatigued. Long hours on the road can do that. Unfortunately, others may pay the price for that weariness if the trucker either falls asleep at the wheel or makes poor driving decisions due to being tired.
  • Giving Into Distractions: Distractions are everywhere on the road and within the truck. They can range from radio chatter and incoming texts to animals running across the road and interesting billboards. The more inexperienced truckers are, the more prone they may be to give in to the distractions. It could take only seconds for a driver to get distracted and make a mistake.
  • Poorly Handling the Actions of Other Drivers: An experienced trucker usually knows how to properly handle other drivers who don’t behave their best on the road, such as purposely cutting off the commercial truck, tailgating, or making rude hand gestures. An inexperienced trucker might not have the patience and restraint to handle all that comes with being a trucker on the road, potentially leading to road rage incidents and corresponding accidents.
  • Lack of Situational Awareness: It’s vital to have situational awareness as a trucker in Texas. This means being fully aware of everything from blind spots to what’s happening on the upcoming stretches of the road. For some truckers, this situational awareness comes easy, but for others, it requires the experience that only time can bring.

Why Contacting a Texas Truck Crash Attorney is Important After a Trucking Accident

Any accident is horrific, but an accident with a large commercial truck can be downright terrifying due to the sheer size of it. Afterwards could be an overwhelming time, but a truck accident lawyer can help you figure out what you need to do next from a legal standpoint. The legal system is undoubtedly complicated, and if you’re interested in learning more about your options regarding compensation, it’s much easier to speak to a qualified Texas lawyer than to figure everything out on your own. 

Texas trucking lawyers fully understand how the system operates in the state and what you need to do to get the compensation you need and deserve. Taking the task on by yourself can feel almost impossible, but having a Texas truck accident attorney on your side can make a world of difference in knowing what to do at every stage of the process. This can especially be the case at the beginning and with deciding what to do at the end, such as if you have a say about whether to accept a specific offered settlement amount. 

What You Should Do After a Trucking Accident in Texas

There are several steps you should take after a trucking accident in Texas, if you’re able. Although you may just want the incident over as quickly as possible and go home, what you do immediately after can significantly impact the results of your legal case should you pursue one. Several of the steps to do include:

  • Taking Videos and Pictures of the Scene: The more pictures and videos you can safely take of everything at the scene, the better. This means the area surrounding the accident, the accident scene itself, any damage to your car and to the commercial truck, the license plates, and your visible injuries. It creates timestamped records of the incident that can’t be disputed. 
  • Accepting Offered Medical Care: Chances are you or someone else will call an ambulance to come to the scene. Aggree to medical care even if you don’t feel like you need it. Being looked over by medical professionals, especially if it also involves photos, can be an important part of your legal case against the trucking company. 
  • Creating a Voice Memo: As soon as you have the opportunity, take out your phone and create a voice memo detailing everything you remember about the accident involving the commercial truck. You may not remember everything all at once, but it’s important to document everything you do remember as quickly as possible. It may be easier to get it all out in a voice memo rather than writing it down or only relaying the information to others, such as the cops. 
  • Exchanging Contact Information With the Trucker and Witnesses: In addition to getting a photo of the truck and license plate, make sure you also get the trucker’s contact information. Your lawyer can handle the correspondence going forward. While it may be tempting to go off in anger at the trucker, it’s important to refrain so you don’t escalate the situation or say or do something that could be used against you during the legal case. You’ll also want to exchange contact information with witnesses who could help back up your claims.
  • Contact a Reputable, Qualified Trucking Lawyer in Texas: It’s important to contact a Texas truck crash lawyer as soon as possible after your accident. Schedule an appointment, tell them what happened, and present the information you collected.

What a Lawyer Can Do for You After a Trucking Accident in Texas

The best thing a Texas trucking lawyer can do for you after you get into an accident is to be your advocate. They can tell you what exactly you need to do, but they’ll handle the majority of the work to prepare for the legal case. They’ll also have your back with the trucking company and can work on making a case of how the inexperienced driver caused the accident that resulted in your injuries, vehicle damage, and pain and suffering. 

Don’t let the actions of an inexperienced truck driver in Texas cause you further physical and emotional harm. A reputable trucking lawyer, including a UPS or Fed-Ex truck accident attorney, in this great state can help you every step of the way. They’ll support you through this stressful journey so you can get the correct amount of compensation you deserve to help cover time off work, medical bills, medications, therapies, emotional trauma, and more that occurred as a result of the accident with the commercial truck. The legal process against the trucking company will be extensive, but a reputable lawyer you can trust can make it much less stressful and time consuming.