Avoid an Accident With a Big Truck

I’m Ed Smith, a Madera truck accident lawyer. Accidents with big trucks are more common than you might think, causing over 77,000 injuries and 3,852 deaths in 2015 along America’s roads and highways. Knowing what to do when you are driving on the road near a big truck can help you and the truck driver avoid collisions and potentially save your life or the lives of your loved ones.

Truck Accidents in 2015

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that the number of traffic fatalities rose from 30,056 to 32,166 from 2014 to 2015. Although this included all traffic fatalities, including motor vehicles, motorcyclists, pedestrians and bicycle riders, the statistics are frightening. In crashes involving large trucks, the number of fatalities increased 69 percent in 2015 from the previous year as reported by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Safety Tips for Driving Near Big Trucks

Not everyone is familiar with how to stay safe when sharing the road with big trucks. Because this is a normal everyday occurrence, having this information is important to keep you and your family safe.

Be Aware of a Big Truck’s No Zone

Big trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, are difficult to maneuver, require a much longer stopping distance than other vehicles and the driver has a limited view of the traffic surrounding the vehicle. This is where the no zone comes into play. This is the area where the truck driver can’t see the vehicles around him. By driving in a truck’s no zone, a driver risks an underride accident, which carries a high rate of fatalities. The no zone on the average truck is as follows:

20 feet in front of the truck
30 feet behind the truck
The lane to the left of the truck for a certain distance from the cab to the body of the trailer
The two lanes to the right of the truck, which obstructs the driver’s vision from the cab

Area of Safety

The safest position for a motor vehicle around a truck is to give it plenty of room, both in front and in back. Stay away from the sides of a big truck unless passing, and when passing, do it quickly and don’t pace the truck.

Signal when passing a truck on the left side.
Never pass a truck on the right. The driver may not see you and decide to change lanes with your vehicle in its path.
Do not pass a big truck on the downgrade. This is where a truck frequently picks up speed.

Turning Trucks

Because of their enormous size, truck drivers need a turning radius of 55 feet and the vehicle may swing out into the other lane to be able to make that turn. Don’t try to second guess whether your vehicle is faster and can scoot by because the truck is a slower vehicle. That could be a deadly mistake.

Exercise Caution When Driving

As when sharing the road with other vehicles, practice safe driving. Obey traffic laws, wear your seat belt and stay alert. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 1.1 million people were arrested for drunk driving or drugged driving in 2015, and this likely represents a small number of those who were driving impaired and didn’t get stopped.

Related Information by Madera Truck Accident Lawyer, Ed Smith:

Madera Truck Accident Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, a Madera truck accident lawyer. Exercising caution when driving near a big truck is just common sense, but sometimes the unimaginable happens. When you or your family have suffered injuries in a collision with a big truck that was caused by negligence, call me at (559) 377-7676. My friendly advice is free for the asking. Outside the area, please call (800) 404-5400.

I have helped Californians, including those in the Madera area, obtain compensation for their traumatic injuries caused by another’s negligence and in their claims for the wrongful death of a loved one since 1982. Some of the settlements or verdicts my law firm has garnered can be found at Past Settlements and Verdicts.

Looking for an attorney to represent your case can be confusing; however, reading reviews by clients about an injury lawyer can help. Avvo, the legal site, Yelp, and Google contain reviews by some of my former clients.

Million Dollar Advocates only accepts membership from primary counsel trial attorneys with a proven record of settlements and/or verdicts of $1 million. I belong to this forum as a California member.

Welcome to autoaccident.com, the website that I founded. Within this site, you will find blogs and numerous articles about personal injuries.

Photo Attribution: Depositphotos_11812873_l-2015.jpg

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Avoid an Accident With a Big Truck