Summer is in full swing, which means it’s road trip season! As fun as traveling can be, many drivers get nervous when they have to share the road with big, 18-wheeler commercial trucks. This is especially true when driving down a route that is commonly used by truckers. Commercial truck accidents tend to be serious for smaller vehicles, so that’s a healthy fear to have.
However, knowing facts about commercial trucks that can increase the risk of accidents can help you try to avoid accidents while on the road. Here’s some facts about trucks that you may not have known that could help keep you safer while on the road.
#1. Cars Can Slide Under The Body Of A Truck
This is called an underride crash. Most people don’t know about underride crashes unless someone they know is in one. They usually happen at the rear or side of a truck. Trailers are required by the Department of Transportation to have an underride guard in order to prevent these types of crashes.
These crashes can cause severe injuries due to the height difference between vehicles. The point of impact is usually the hood or the windshield of the car, which means that airbags may not activate. People in the car often suffer severe injuries while truck drivers tend to be uninjured, since they sit up higher and away from the collision points. Sometimes, truck drivers may not even be aware that there has been a collision.
Side underride accidents can occur when the sun is at a low angle or when a truck is trying to maneuver across traffic. Rear underride accidents can occur when trucks are slowing down. These accidents can also occur due to bad weather lowering visibility or causing people to lose control of their vehicles, when car drivers tailgate trucks, when truck drivers are negligent, when drivers are going too fast for current conditions and more.
Reflective tape, side skirts, and rear guards all help to prevent these accidents. So too, does safe driving, on everyone’s part, and understanding that trucks have slower reaction times than cars, which leads us into our next fact.
#2. Trucks Have Much Slower Reaction Times Than Cars
Many accidents with commercial trucks occur because car drivers assume that trucks can react a lot faster than they actually can or because they aren’t aware of the space that trucks need in order to do certain maneuvers, such as turning. For instance, at 55mph, it can take trucks nearly 200 feet to stop, while a passenger car only needs about 133 feet, traveling at the same speed. As speed increases, stopping distance does too.
The size and weight of commercial trucks are what make them difficult to operate, even in ideal conditions. They take longer to both accelerate and decelerate. They are harder to turn and maneuver. They have a higher center of gravity, which means they are at higher risk for rolling over and are more affected by strong winds.
Because of this, truck drivers must undergo special training and earn a commercial driver’s license in order to operate these vehicles. Depending on the cargo being transported, additional training and certifications may be required.
#3. Trucks Typically Swing Left Before Turning Right
As previously mentioned, many car drivers don’t realize just how much space trucks need in order to make a turn. This is because if a commercial truck makes a sharp turn, it could cause it to roll over. As such, truck drivers often need to swing left before turning right.
Since the trucks swing left, car drivers may assume that their intention is to turn left. As such, they may attempt to pass on the right, only to end up squeezed between the side of a trailer and the road when the truck actually starts turning right. These types of accident is known as a squeeze-play, and can result in serious injuries to those in the passenger vehicle.
Some ways to prevent this type of accident include: staying out of truck’s blindspots, staying a safe distance behind trucks, never passing a truck on the right, and never assume that a truck may be turning left instead of right.
Have You Been In A Truck Accident?
Even if you know all the risk of accidents with commercial trucks, even if you are as careful as possible, accidents can still occur. LeBaron & Jensen provides representation to those who have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence. Contact us today to schedule your free case consultation, and let us see what we can do for you.
