Safely Sharing the Road with Large Trucks
Tractor-trailers and semi-trucks can pose an extremely dangerous presence on the road. Accidents involving large trucks and passenger vehicles account for 8% of all roadway fatalities every year, and in the majority of circumstances, the driver that is fatally injured is that of the passenger vehicle, not the truck. While some accidents are not avoidable by the passenger driver, there are steps you can take to help ensure your safety on the road.
- Change lanes carefully, and with warning
When merging lanes in front of a tractor trailer, always signal well in advance, and ensure that the semi is visible in your rear-view mirror before you merge into its lane. Forcing a truck to come to an abrupt stop or to slow down quickly can cause it to swerve into another lane, jackknife, or rear-end you. Fully-loaded tractor-trailers can weigh up to 80,000 lbs. When considering that the average passenger car weighs only 5,000 lbs, you can understand why large trucks require about 40% more time to come to a stop.
- Don’t get caught in a “squeeze”
Semi-trucks can stretch to between 70 and 80 feet in length, and they require an average turning radius of 55 feet. If a truck has its turn signal on, do not enter the space between the curb and the truck in the direction the truck is turning. While it might appear that there is room for your car, the truck will likely have to close that distance to make the turn, and could crush your car in the process.
- Get out of no-zones
Due to their length, large trucks have very large blind spots, known as “no-zones.” These no-zones include the space where the trailer and truck connect, close to the rear of the truck, and the truck’s sides. Ensure that you can see the truck’s mirrors at all times, which will help the truck to be able to see you.
If you’ve been injured in a crash with a tractor-trailer or semi-truck in New Jersey, contact the skilled Wayne truck accident lawyers at Massood Law Group for a consultation with your claims, at 1-888-462-4878.
