According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), crashes with large commercial trucks in the US cause catastrophic injuries to passenger vehicles because of:

• Aggressive Behavior – Aggressive movement, including traveling at excessive speeds or reckless driving, could result in severe injuries of the wrongful death of innocent victims.
• Drowsy Driving – Truckers often work long hours under grueling conditions and erratic scheduling. A failure to get enough sleep before getting behind the wheel could cause catastrophic results.
• Tailgating a Commercial Vehicle – It is crucial to stay far behind a large commercial vehicle traveling ahead to ensure all vehicles have enough time to come to a complete stop before crashing. Additionally, the trucker is unable to see a car traveling behind that is driving too close to the trailer ahead.
• Distracted Driving – Any distraction like speaking on a smartphone or sending text messages is prohibited by law and creates a dangerous scenario for everyone sharing the roadway.• Driving Under the Influence – If the truckers involved in an accident, law enforcement will often perform a test at the accident scene to determine if the truck driver consumed alcohol or took illegal drugs.

Sometimes, a commercial vehicle driver will cause an accident because of erratic movements, or they were fatigued, having worked too many hours on a tight schedule. In these cases, both the trucking company and the truck driver should be held legally responsible for the crash and pay all associated costs and expenses that led to the wrongful death or severe injury.