Over the course of one day, thousands of trucks can be seen all over the highways, transporting everything possible from one place to another all over the world. These huge trucks are very important in the economy, but they also carry out special tasks that might involve some risk on the highways.
In comparison to small and compact vehicles, trucks, being big and heavy, play a major role in city streets and rural highways. The factors that contribute to the accidents with these vehicles are very important to understand.
In this article, we will discuss the causes of truck accidents and give you some useful methods that will help you move safely through the busy streets with these giants. Remember that if you have encountered an accident with a truck, you should contact an 18-wheeler accident lawyer near you.
Common Causes of Truck Accidents
Driver Fatigue:
Sitting in the driver’s seat for a long time and driving for long hours can test even the most experienced truckers. The breakdown occurs when the driver persists in driving despite being exhausted, leading to reduced attentiveness, slower reaction time, and even temporary loss of consciousness.
The drivers need to run against the clock, along with the constant urge to cover large distances, which commonly leads to little or no break time for the drivers.
Consequently, they might experience a loss of vigilance, fighting to keep themselves awake and endangering their lives and that of others around them as well.
Distracted Driving:
In the age of technology and non-stop communication, multi-tasking is always an easily accessible option, and it is no exception.
Truckers are also not immune to distractions while driving, such as cell phone calls and texting, and various systems like browsing the navigation systems and adjusting in-cab amenities.
Since it is natural, seemingly innocent activities like eating can easily distract the driver from the road ahead. The repercussions of driving while distracted may be a tragedy; finding the moments of negligence are enough to cause fatal accidents.
In order to get a grip on this all-embracing problem, drivers should pledge to avoid being distracted, and employers should reinforce policies that are aimed at discouraging such activities and promoting safe driving.
Poor Maintenance:
Commercial trucks are complicated machines that require a high maintenance degree in order to guarantee safety on roads. Nonetheless, as the transportation business is an industry that is constantly on the go, maintenance tasks can sometimes be overlooked in favour of other objectives.
Poorly kept vehicles with damaged brakes, faulty steering systems, or balding tires are highly susceptible to road accidents due to the risk of mechanical failures while commuting.
Along with this uncertainty, the driver’s safety is at risk, as well as the safety of other drivers who share the road.
How Can You Stay Safe on Busy Trucking Routes
Maintain a Safe Following Distance
Keeping a safe distance is a must when you are driving alongside trucks. Unlike some types of vehicles, trucks demand much more time and space to be able to stop completely as a result of their size and weight.
Poor road discipline, commonly referred to as tailgating, not only increases the possibility of a collision in the rear end but also makes it difficult to respond quickly to unexpected events in traffic flows.
Driving a safe distance from the truck ahead will guarantee them the time they need to slow or manoeuvre if the truck before them slows down or encounters an obstacle.
A safe distance rule is to leave a minimum of one car length for every 10 miles per hour. However, road and weather conditions can be a factor in leaving even larger space when the speed is faster.
Be Mindful of Blind Spots:
Trucks have narrow vision areas, which are referred to as “no-zones,” in which smaller vehicles are not visible to the truck driver.
These blind spots are not only located at the side of the truck but directly at the rear as well, so drivers should definitely be aware of this and drive carefully when they pass by big rigs.
The drivers have to avoid sticking in these blind spots for a long time and ensure that they can be seen by the truck driver’s mirrors to ensure visibility.
Practise Defensive Driving:
Defensive driving is a proactive strategy of road safety that involves anticipating and planning for initiating possible dangers before they come to be.
The most critical situation is when many trucks are going on a single route, which is usually busy and has different road conditions. Defensive driving is essential here.
This requires looking for possible hazards ahead and foreseeing them by slowing down and changing their position if the other drivers are erratic, lanes are changing abruptly, or the construction is ongoing.
Defensive drivers do not only stick to the traffic rules but also pay attention to the road, reduce any possible distractions, and maintain a high level of awareness while driving.
