Safely Navigating the Road with Tractor-Trailers

 Posted on June 19, 2014 in Personal Injury

Crashes involving tractor-trailers often have devastating consequences. Not only are the vehicles significantly larger than other cars on the road, but they are usually found on highways and freeways where they travel at an increased speed. What may be surprising, however, is that statistics show that more than 70 percent of accidents involving such trucks are the other driver's fault. This illustrates how important it is for drivers to do what they can to avoid accidents with tractor-trailers. The following safety tips can give drivers some direction as to how to properly navigate around trucks.

Safety Tips

Give truckers a lot of room. Drivers should avoid being too close to a semi for a number of reasons. Tire blowouts are common and can cause pieces of the tire to collide with nearby vehicles and may even make the driver begin to swerve. Windy conditions can also lead to trucks being blown around the road, and may cause them to become hard to control. Lastly, large trucks have a number of blind spots. It is best not to linger too long next to, very close behind, or very close in front of a tractor-trailer, since the truck driver may not even notice the car.

Pass the truck properly. Drivers who want to pass a truck should do so on the left and as quickly as possible while hugging the outside part of their lane. The truck's right side has more blind spots than the left. In addition, do not cut back in front of the truck too closely. Give a tractor-trailer a generous amount of room when passing it.

Be aware that trucks make wide turns. Drivers cutting off a semi as it is making a turn is one of the most common causes of an accident involving trucks. Drivers should avoid attempting to squeeze by a truck or drive around them while making a turn. It is likely that the truck driver will not see another car trying to do this until it is too late and an accident has occurred.

Be understanding of truck drivers. While some truckers may try to take advantage on the roadways, most of them are trying to safely operate their trucks among other vehicles the best they can. It is a difficult task, and the consideration of other drivers goes a long way in making the road safer for everyone.

Accident Injury Attorneys

Car accidents involving large trucks or semis can result in serious damages and significant injury, or even death. The experienced attorneys at Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices have successfully represented clients involved in car and tractor-trailer crashes. Contact us today for a consultation. We serve clients in DuPage County and the surrounding area.