Most fatal collisions between commercial trucks and passenger vehicles are preventable, and they happen because someone made a careless mistake or a dangerous choice that led to tragedy. In many crashes, that someone is the truck driver or an individual responsible for the truck's safety and condition. Some common causes of fatal car-on-truck accidents are attributable to the truck driver or the truck’s condition. Speeding and Driving Too Fast for Road Conditions Trucks need more room than other vehicles to maneuver and stop safely. As a truck’s speed increases, so do the risk of the truck driver losing control and causing a fatal collision. For example, a truck that exceeds the speed limit or travels too fast for road conditions cannot brake in time to avoid rear-ending a vehicle stopped up-ahead. Unsafe speeds also heighten the risk of a truck rolling while navigating a sharp curve, like a highway on/off-ramp. In addition, the higher the speed of a truck, the more destructive its collision with another vehicle. A passenger vehicle will usually sustain catastrophic damage in a crash with a fast-moving big rig, with deadly results for the smaller vehicle's occupants. Truck Driver Fatigue Dangerous levels of driver fatigue plague the trucking industry. Truckers routinely take the wheel of semi-trucks on insufficient rest, and they regularly report feeling sleepy while driving, according to FMCSA research. Fatigue impairs driving ability in the same manner that consuming alcohol slows reaction times, impairs judgment and decision-making, interferes with the perception of speed and distance, and erodes motor control. A tired truck driver runs a high risk of causing a deadly collision with a car, SUV, or light truck. Federal and state regulations set limits on the number of hours truck drivers can spend on duty in a day and over a week. Still, even truckers who follow those regulations can struggle to stay awake at the wheel. Numerous factors contribute to dangerous truck driver fatigue. Long-haul truck driving can be a grueling profession, at once stressful and tedious. Drivers are constantly monitored, receive relatively low pay, face constant pressure to stay on schedule, and often have no choice but to drive in poor conditions or late into the night. As a group, truckers are also older and in worse health than the U.S. working population. These factors make fatigue a major challenge for truck drivers and a major risk for causing fatal crashes between trucks and passenger cars. Truck Driver Inexperience Demand for trucking services has increased dramatically in recent years, driven by online shoppers who expect products delivered to their doorsteps. But with its aging workforce, the trucking industry has struggled to recruit and retain enough drivers to keep pace. Turnover of the trucking workforce is extremely high. Some trucking operators resort to lowering their hiring standards for new drivers to keep trucks rolling. Others have cut back on the time they spend on driver training. And a few have simply cut corners and sent drivers out on the road without the necessary qualifications. It’s a dangerous state of affairs. An inexperienced truck driver stands a higher chance of causing an accident than a seasoned one. A driver who lacks on-road experience is more likely to lose track of a vehicle in his truck’s blind spot, enter a sharp curve too fast, or underestimate the distance the truck needs to slow down for a traffic jam. In other words, the more under-qualified or unqualified truckers the industry sends out on the roads, the more it puts the public at risk for deadly truck-on-car crashes that take innocent lives. Aging Infrastructure and Poor Truck Maintenance The aging, sometimes crumbling, interstate highway system also represents a serious risk factor for deadly truck accidents. As the quality of road surfaces deteriorates, it takes an increasingly heavy toll on the condition of trucks and trailers. Trucking companies must maintain their trucks in good working order, but some put off important repairs and upkeep to meet high demand. As a result, many trucks and trailers take to U.S. roads in relatively poor condition, with tires, brakes, and other essential components in disrepair and at risk of failure. Blown tires, faulty braking systems, or malfunctioning hydraulics can easily lead to a loss of control and a fatal crash with a passenger vehicle.