Remember, Trucks Drivers Can Make Mistakes

Other factors that may contribute to a driver’s safety include distractions such as cell phone use and playing music loud enough that it impedes their ability to remain alert. Additionally, medications used to help with sleep—such as antihistamines—can cause drowsiness and increase the likelihood of dozing off while driving.

Safe Driving Tips

Driving around large semi-trucks is something that requires extra caution and attention. The size of these vehicles means they need more room to maneuver, and they are not as agile or responsive as a car. It’s important to remember some simple safety tips when driving around semi-trucks:

1. Give the truck plenty of time and space on the road. Don’t try to pass them too soon or get too close while they are turning. They need extra room to turn, accelerate, and merge into traffic safely.

2. Always use your turn signals when changing lanes near a semi-truck. Ensure you warn them before switching lanes so they know you are moving and can adjust their speed accordingly.

3. Always check the truck’s blind spots before changing lanes or passing them. Semi-trucks have more significant blind spots than cars, so it’s important to double-check before taking any action.

4. Avoid driving in a semi truck’s blind spot as much as possible. When passing a semi-truck, do not linger in its blind spot or follow too closely behind them.

5. Be aware of the speed limits for trucks on different roads and highways; some streets may have lower speed limits for semi-trucks than cars.

Stay Alert Around Semi-Trucks

Following these safety tips will help you drive safely around semi-trucks. Always give them extra space and be aware of their blind spots when going near them. By following these tips, you can avoid dangerous situations on the road and help keep everyone safe!

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There are many different types of trucking accidents, but some of the most common include the following:

– Jackknife accidents occur when a tractor-trailer’s trailer swings out to the side, forming a 90-degree angle with the cab. This can happen if the driver brakes suddenly or if the trailer is overloaded. Jackknife accidents can be hazardous because they often result in the complete loss of control of the truck.

– Rollover accidents: Rollover accidents occur when a truck overturns onto its side or roof. They can be caused by several factors, including speeding, sharp turns, and improper loading of the truck. Rollover accidents are often severe because they can result in the truck driver being ejected from the cab.

– Rear-end collisions are one of the most common types of accidents involving large trucks. They occur when a truck rear-ends another vehicle, often because the truck driver was following too closely or was not paying attention to the traffic ahead. Rear-end collisions can be hazardous because of the size and weight of large trucks.

– Head-on collisions: Head-on collisions are another type of accident that can be particularly dangerous. They occur when a truck collides with another vehicle head-on. Head-on collisions often happen when a truck driver falls asleep at the wheel or drives under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

If you have been involved in any trucking accident, it is important to seek legal help as soon as possible. An experienced trucking accident lawyer can help you investigate the cause of the accident and hold the responsible parties accountable.

Who Is Liable For Trucking Accidents?

While anyone can be held liable for a truck accident, the party most often responsible is the truck driver. Truck drivers are expected to follow specific regulations to ensure the safety of other motorists. They can be held liable when they fail to do so, and an accident occurs.

Other parties that may be held liable in a trucking accident include the trucking company, the truck’s owner, or the manufacturer of the truck or its parts. If any of these parties contributed to the cause of the accident, they might be held liable.

If you have been involved in a trucking accident, contact us. We can help you determine who is liable for your injuries. Contact our firm today to schedule a consultation.

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Driver Fatigue

Drivers cause over 88% of all truck accidents. Driver fatigue is the most common on average. After long hours on the road, driving all night can contribute to the driver’s drowsiness.

Truckers can disobey their hours of service to keep driving despite feeling tired in order to meet delivery deadlines. Falling asleep behind the wheel of a truck can easily result in other drivers’ fatality on the road if the truck should collide with these smaller vehicles. 

Driving Under The Influence (DUI)

Like most states, the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit is around 0.05%. Commercial drivers shouldn’t drive after consuming any amount of alcohol or drugs that could potentially impair their driving ability. 

Speeding

It’s extremely difficult to control an 18-wheeler rig with a trailer. This challenge is why commercial drivers receive training and special licenses to operate such a vehicle. Speeding makes these dangerous big rigs even harder to control on turns and stops when compared to smaller vehicles. If a truck driver goes over the speed limit, he/she risks rear ending another vehicle at a stop, losing control of the truck, and in some cases overturning the truck around corners. Weather conditions could cause similar effects with trucks going too fast in snow, sleet, or rain. 

Distracted Driving

People should know that there are very strict laws against drivers and any form of texting or talking on the phone while driving. However, not all drivers obey these laws, including truck drivers. Cell phone use can be very distracting and, in turn, resulting in catastrophic accidents. Other ways a truck driver can be distracted include;

• Eating
• Drinking
• Grooming
• Pets
• Outside Distractions

Mechanical Failure

In some cases, trucking accidents are not the driver’s fault, but in fact, the trucking company or vehicle manufacturer’s responsibility. If there’s defective hardware or poorly maintenance, there could be risks such as brakes failing while traveling on the highway. If this is the case, the trucking company may be liable for failure to maintain the truck. The manufacturer could also be liable for the truck containing defective hardware. 

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Accidents on Utah’s Roads

Unfortunately, in reviewing the news from this weekend, it appears as though tragedy is still very prevalent. For instance, I saw:

A motorcyclist lost his life on SR-35 following a crash. The motorcycle driver was unable to navigate a left-hand curve, and the motorcycle veered off the road.

A truck crashed into Burgess Owen’s headquarters on Friday night. The pictures on-line are pretty shocking as there is severe damage to the structure. The damage was so substantial that Burgess Owen’s campaign is going to have to relocate. Fortunately, given the time of this incident, no one was injured.

A woman was hit multiple times on the freeway. In this story, a 31-year-old woman was walking on the freeway on the west side belt of 1-215 at 3800 South. When officers arrived at the scene, they found the victim deceased. Upon reading the story, it was unclear as to why the woman was walking on the freeway; and

There was a single-vehicle rollover early Sunday morning on SR-196 about 14 miles south of 1-80 in Tooele County in which neither people in the vehicle were wearing seatbelts. They were both ejected from the car and killed. 

A Goal we can all Live with 

The website zerofatalities.com has many helpful and resourceful tips, tools, and webinars you may sign for up, including parent night webinars, educational webinars, and truck smart safety advice. It also highlights the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer” campaign. I hope everyone will look into some helpful resources, wear their seatbelts, and refrain from impaired driving. Remember, the best auto accident case is one that never occurs.  

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