If you have been injured in a commercial truck accident in which the truck driver is at fault, you may be eligible for more compensation than you think. Unfortunately, more than half of the accidents involving commercial trucks are the fault of the truck driver, and the reasons may not be what you think.

While a truck driver can be unfamiliar with the road or have problems with the vehicle itself, this is not always the case. Yes, the trucks might not be equipped properly, the loads may not be fastened correctly, and the brakes, lights, steering or other integral parts of the vehicle may have malfunctioned, but there are many other reasons why commercial truck drivers get into accidents.

Some of the accidents attributed to truck drivers are caused by driving too fast or too fatigued to properly watch the road. Federal law restricts the amount of hours a truck driver is permitted to drive before resting, and some drivers don't abide by some of the policies laid down by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Worse still, their employers may condone illegal driving behavior.

One of the more unfortunate reasons a driver may be responsible for a commercial truck accident is use of prescription drugs, illegal drugs or alcohol. If a truck driver is suspected by a passenger of any inappropriate behavior while driving, the incident should be reported to the FMCSA. A collision involving negligence on the part of a commercial truck driver should always include a phone call to a reputable truck accident lawyer, as soon as possible.