In Phoenix, Arizona and Taking Cases Nationwide
Snyder Wenner Legal Blog
Monday, March 31, 2008
Avoiding Truck Accidents
If you think of a standard passenger vehicle and an 18-wheeler next to each other, it’s clear which vehicle has the advantage if an accident were to occur. Trucks can weigh 80,000 pounds or even more, which has specific consequences:
Drive defensively
By far the most effective way to avoid any trouble with a big rig is to keep a safe distance from it. Give it the extra road space it needs for maneuvering and stopping.
Here are some Don'ts if you are driving anything smaller than a big rig:
If you have been injured in a truck accident, and are wondering whether you have a valid legal claim, please contact us. We will be glad to consult with you at no charge, even if the accident did not occur in or around Phoenix, Arizona. We can talk over the phone, or if necessary, can come to where you are.
- They take longer to stop
- They take longer to gather speed
- They can lose control more easily on a downgrade
- They need far more room to make a turn
- With their extra height, they can run right over a small passenger car
- They have a more and larger blind spots
Drive defensively
By far the most effective way to avoid any trouble with a big rig is to keep a safe distance from it. Give it the extra road space it needs for maneuvering and stopping.
Here are some Don'ts if you are driving anything smaller than a big rig:
- Don’t drive in the driver’s blind spots. If you are driving in the next lane over from a big rig and can’t see the driver, you know he can’t see you either. So drop back or speed up until you can see him and you’ll be safer.
- Don’t forget that a big truck has a larger blind spot on his right side than his left, and another one directly in front of him.
- Don’t drive close up behind an 18-wheeler because again you’ll be invisible to the driver - in another blind spot. Fall back so that he can see you in his rear-view mirror.
- Don’t dart in front of a big truck. Leave extra road space in front of it for safety. The law requires 400 feet between a truck and the vehicle in front of it, which is a large, tempting space to dart into.
- Don’t try to get in front of a big rig that’s entering the freeway. That driver cannot suddenly brake for you.
- Don’t forget to check all your lights for night driving visibility
If you have been injured in a truck accident, and are wondering whether you have a valid legal claim, please contact us. We will be glad to consult with you at no charge, even if the accident did not occur in or around Phoenix, Arizona. We can talk over the phone, or if necessary, can come to where you are.
posted by Patti at 4:43 PM
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