With trucks on our roads weighing up to 100,000 pounds, it is no wonder that it can be particularly catastrophic when they are involved in accidents. Although winter does not bring us snow the way it does in most parts of the country, precipitation and other adverse weather conditions are concerns this time of year. Just recently, a trucking accident claimed the life of a woman in Florence City. The truck was backing out of a driveway.
Trucks and Driving With Trucks Tips
Smaller vehicles are ill-matched for a four-to-five axle truck’s sheer weight, size, and lack of visibility. It is estimated that nearly 170,000 people are injured, and around 5,000 are killed in trucking accidents annually. These numbers are so high for a variety of reasons.
First, truck drivers are not able to see out of their vehicle the way that most of us can in our day-to-day passenger vehicles. Large trucks have gigantic blind spots, that is, areas where the driver cannot see behind him even in his mirrors. If a truck driver attempts to change lanes when a small car is in his blind spot, the result can be catastrophic. Often, the driver may fail to realize they are in the truck driver’s blind spot, or they may assume that the truck driver sees them. Like any other driving interaction, never assume that another driver sees you. The driver has an obligation to make sure his surroundings are clear before changing lanes, but this can be nearly impossible if your vehicle is driving in an area where the driver cannot locate you.
Another contributing factor to the severity of trucking accidents is that due to the weight and size of a semi-truck, it can take up to forty times longer for a truck to come to a stop than a smaller vehicle. This affects people driving in front and to the side of semi-trucks on the road. If you are driving in front of a large truck, make sure the truck driver is keeping plenty of distance between your vehicle and theirs; if he is not, it would be a good idea to change lanes in case you need to come to a quick stop and the truck driver must brake quickly to avoid running in to you.
Columbia, South Carolina Trucking Accident Attorney
Our experienced truck accident attorneys at Solomon Law Group understand the tremendous emotional and financial burden being in any type of accident can have on you and your family’s life. If a truck driver’s careless or negligence, or a defective truck tire, part, or trailer, is the cause of your injury or a loved one’s death, you may be entitled to compensation. This compensation may include recovery of lost wages from work due to permanent or temporary disability or immobilization, medical bill payment, pain and suffering compensation, or other monetary damages depending on the facts and circumstances of the case. If you believe your accident could have been caused by another driver’s negligence, contact our office today.
