Considering their sheer size and weight, especially when compared with a normal car, it is no wonder why drivers and passengers of cars typically end up on the wrong end of the deal when involved in a truck accident. Although not all accidents can be prevented, understanding the most common reasons for a truck accident may prevent an accident from occurring.
Drivers of passenger cars can keep in mind some factors about trucks to minimize the likelihood of an accident. For example. a truck cab with a long trailer behind it has significant blind spots. Generally, if you cannot see the driver or the cab’s mirror, the truck driver cannot see you. Trucks have far less maneuverability than cars and cannot weave away from other cars or road hazards as fast as cars.
Many truck accidents are not the fault of the driver or a passenger car, but are the result of factors on the truck or truck driver’s side. Truck drivers have strict rules and regulations regarding their driving time limits. They must keep a log to monitor the hours they spend on the road to prevent fatigue from playing a factor in an accident. Exterior factors, such as inclement weather, often play a role in a truck accident. Considering their size and length, semis are especially vulnerable to cross winds. Semis are also prone to jackknifing under certain situations, and are far less agile when it comes to switching lanes, braking and handling to avoid a potential hazard on the road.
You may have heard the common cliché, “knowing is half the battle”. When it comes to trucks on the road, knowing how a truck differs from a passenger vehicle and the common causes for truck accidents might be the difference, in a very literal sense, between life and death.
Source: By findlaw.com, “Common Causes of Truck Accidents,” Accessed on Dec. 29, 2015
