Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Commercial trucks, like big rigs and delivery vehicles, are a common sight on our roadways. While commercial truck drivers must meet certain standards to get behind the wheel and are generally more care ful on the road than the average automobile driver, accidents still happen with unfortunate frequency. Often times, the accident could be avoided if the automobile driver were aware of the limitations of the truck – such as ability to accelerate and brake, visibility, and turning radius.
To lessen your chances of being involved in an accident with a truck, watch out for the following:
- Driving in the danger zone, where the truck driver can’t see you, is one of the leading causes of truck/ automobile accidents. Pay special attention when near the back or sides of a truck and remember, if you can’t see the driver’s mirrors, they cannot see you.
- Special care must be taken when passing a truck. Changing lanes abruptly and passing without giving enough space are both especially dangerous.
- Trucks need more space than other vehicles to make turns. A common accident scenario is when a truck is turning right and it swings out to the left before making its turn and an automobile tries to pass on the right.
- Trucks take longer to accelerate and need more space to brake. Misjudging a truck’s acceleration/braking, especially when merging, can lead to trouble.
By staying aware of these common causes of truck accidents, we can all stay safer while sharing the road.