There are more than six million car accidents every year, and roughly six percent of those accidents result in one or more fatalities. In addition, drivers are injured in nearly 30 percent of all accidents. Those injuries range from minor to life-changing. When cars, SUVs, and other light vehicles collide, there is a good chance everyone will walk away without serious injuries. Those statistics change quickly when a passenger vehicle is involved in an accident with a large truck.
Truck Accidents Cause Deaths and Major Damage
Large commercial vehicles are involved in approximately 500,000 accidents every year, with fatalities occurring in about ten percent of those mishaps. In fatal accidents involving commercial trucks, the vast majority of the fatalities are in the smaller, lighter vehicles. Those smaller vehicles are simply no match for trucks weighing 80,000 pounds.
Most accidents involving commercial vehicles also happen during the day and on rural highways rather than city streets. Those trucks are traveling at high speeds and simply cannot maneuver or stop quickly. That means the other vehicles involved are even more likely to suffer serious damage. Passengers in the smaller vehicles are also far more likely to suffer injuries. In urban areas, vehicles are likely to be traveling slower, and the chances of serious injuries or fatalities are reduced. Numerous magazines provide articles suggesting steps people can take to reduce their chances of being injured in accidents. Truck accident law firm representatives, however, offer immediate help when you need it most.
What Can Passenger Vehicle Drivers Do to Protect Themselves?
The most important thing to remember is that defensive driving is essential. Understanding the hazards of sharing the roads with commercial vehicles is vitally important. Watch for the following five issues when sharing the roads with large trucks.
- Some truck drivers are distracted. Like anyone else, truck drivers find themselves drinking coffee, talking on a cellphone, or eating while driving. Those habits and others make it necessary for those drivers to pay attention to things other than their surroundings.
- Truck drivers also make bad decisions while driving. For example, drivers may swerve without warning if they see a turnoff approaching faster than they anticipated. If you happen to be in the lane they swerve into, problems develop quickly.
- Many drivers are too fatigued to be on the road. Driving over the road frequently means the drivers’ sleep cycles are interrupted. The driver may not sleep well when their circadian rhythms are broken, which means the individual won’t be as alert as he or she should be.
- Vehicles malfunction. Any mechanical device is subject to failure, and large trucks are no exception. Tires blow out, steering issues develop, and sudden power losses prevent normal maneuvering. Any of those and countless other mechanical problems can cause a serious accident.
- Bad decisions also cause car accidents. Many of the drivers on the road don’t have sufficient training, which increases their odds of making a bad decision. Passing without sufficient room, turning without sufficient clearance, and speeding are common causes of truck accidents.
So, what can you do to avoid accidents? Most importantly, pay attention to how truck drivers are acting. While there are laws governing commercial trucking, it’s always prudent to assume you need to avoid situations where accidents are more likely to occur. Always leave a way out if you’re around large trucks. Don’t let yourself become boxed in by several trucks.
Of course, there are other strategies passenger vehicles can try to avoid accidents. The strategies used will, to some extent, depend on your driving experience, the time of day, the amount of traffic, and current weather conditions. If you have to drive on roads where truck traffic is heavy, take advantage of every strategy available to stay safe.
