Safe Driving Tips for Avoiding Truck Accidents

 Posted on December 00,0000 in Truck Accidents

Every driver shares the road equally, but they are not all equally safe when it comes to accidents. Crashes involving large vehicles can be especially dangerous, due to the size difference between semi trucks and regular passenger vehicles.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were approximately 415,000 truck accidents in the United States in 2015 (the most recent year statistics were available), with 3,598 of these crashes causing fatalities and 83,000 causing injuries.

Practicing Safety Around Large Trucks

Earlier this year, the FMCSA partnered with AAA, the American Trucking Association, and the American Bus Association to release Our Roads, Our Safety, an awareness campaign that educates drivers about how to drive safely around large vehicles. The tips offered by the campaign include:

• Avoid “no zones” - Truck drivers have large blind spots to their front, back, and sides. Drivers should take care when merging and changing lanes around trucks and assume that if they cannot see the driver in a truck’s mirrors, the driver cannot see them.

• Give extra space when passing - Drivers should always use their turn signals when passing trucks and avoid cutting in front of them too closely. Before pulling in front of a truck, drivers should make sure they can see the truck in their rearview mirror.

• Be careful of wide turns - Trucks require more space to make turns, and they may need to begin a turn from a road’s middle lane. Drivers should be sure to allow trucks enough room when they are turning, be aware of trucks’ turn signals, and avoid driving too closely to them or trying to pass them on the right.

• Be patient - Due to their large size and weight, semi-trailer trucks can take longer to accelerate and slow down, and they also have certain rules and restrictions that they must follow. Drivers may become impatient when driving around trucks, but honking, tailgating, or weaving around them in traffic will make a crash more likely rather than saving any time on the road.

• Be safe - Drivers should always follow good roadway safety practices like wearing their seat belt, avoiding driving while fatigued, minimizing distractions, and never drinking and driving. These practices can save the lives of drivers and passengers in truck crashes.

Contact a Waukegan Truck Accident Lawyer

If you have been injured in an accident with a tractor trailer truck, the personal injury attorneys at at Salvi & Maher, LLP can help you receive the financial compensation you deserve. Contact a Lake County truck accident attorney today at 847-662-3303 today to schedule a free consultation.

Sources:

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/newsroom/fmcsa-urges-everyone-share-road-safely-national-safety-campaign

https://cms.fmcsa.dot.gov/ourroads/tips-driving-safely-around-large-trucks-or-buses

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/docs/safety/data-and-statistics/Large-Truck-and-Bus-Crash-Facts-2015.pdf