Semi-truck collisions can be devastating incidents. The drastic size difference between passenger vehicles and semi-trucks can lead to overwhelming damage to the smaller vehicle and potentially deadly injuries for its occupants.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), slightly more than half of all semi-truck crashes are the fault of the larger vehicle or its operator. However, the habits of those driving smaller vehicles can directly impact their risk of a collision with a commercial truck. One specific safety habit could help drivers minimize their risks.
Bigger vehicles need more space
The FMCSA provides guidance about the large blind spots surrounding semi-trucks, buses and other large commercial vehicles. Drivers should generally avoid occupying the lane directly to the left of a semi-truck’s trailer and the two lanes to the right of the trailer on a multi-lane road. They should also avoid driving immediately behind the vehicle and should maintain at least a three-second following distance.
Additionally, leaving more space at an intersection by stopping farther back can help reduce the risk of the devastating crash caused by a truck’s wide turns. Drivers may also need to consider the limitations of a semi-truck when turning or merging into a new lane of traffic. They need to leave more space behind their vehicles and to increase their speed rapidly to offset a truck’s difficulty in slowing down or stopping.
Unfortunately, even if passenger vehicle operators do everything right, they may cross paths with a negligent semi-truck operator who causes a collision anyway. Reviewing a crash report and other details about a semi-truck collision with a skilled legal team can help crash victims to pursue compensation through insurance claims or possibly even personal injury litigation.