How Big Rig Accidents can be Prevented

What car drivers can do to avoid fatal accidents?

(Broward, Florida) – December 30^th, 2015 – Virtually thousands of big rig trucks ply Florida’s highways every day. It is no secret that big rig trucks remain responsible for numerous fatal and catastrophic traffic accidents, every year. These trucks pose a major risk to people traveling in cars. To keep away from such accidents, both car and truck drivers ought to understand the differences between the two types of vehicles to reduce the risk of injuries as well as fatalities.

How do big rig accidents occur?

Broward, FL truck accident lawyers know there are several major causes of big rig accidents because they have seen the carnage many times. These include:

Fatigue and Distracted Driving

Fatigue can be a major cause for accidents that can prove fatal on any road or highway. Southern Florida accident attorneys who manage claims for their plaintiffs who are injured in big rig accidents know that driving for long hours, insufficient sleep, medication, or other factors can result in fatigue. This in turn results in distraction and inevitably poor driver performance.

This is why computers will be driving trucks in years to come but this is another topic. There will be less worker’s compensation cases for truck driving companies when this occurs. 

Road Conditions

Big rigs can be extremely difficult to control as compared to passenger cars, as these large machines behave rather differently under bad driving conditions. Rain, wind, and slippery roads can produce poor road conditions and affect the handling of large commercial trucks. They are outstanding machines but when operated poorly, lives can be at risk and carnage could ensue.

Load Distribution and Truck Maintenance

Maintenance-related issues such as brake, tire problems, and rollovers remain the common cause of big rig accidents. If the trucks are not evenly loaded, it can directly affect the driver’s ability to handle the vehicle. This hearkens back to a previous point made, the trucks are made fine and so are the trailers but when they are loaded improperly – they can fail.

The show Ax-Man on the History Channel has depicted many trucks failing in the past since they were loaded with too many cut down trees. It was not the machine’s fault, this was human error. Though machines can malfunction causing accidents as well. 

Traffic Conditions

The actions of drivers on the road may result in accidents even when the truck driver remains alert, in a well-maintained truck. Smaller vehicles that drive through a big rig’s blind spot and cut in suddenly ahead of them or follow them too closely can also cause an accident.

Preventing Big Rig Accidents

Bad road conditions and heavy traffic affect trucks and cars alike. Drivers of smaller vehicles should drive safely, knowing that it is very hard for big rigs to be kept in control under hostile road conditions. They ought to remain alert whenever an 18 wheeler is visible in order to react when necessary. 

Keep a Safe Distance

Trucks need a longer distance to accelerate, brake, change lanes, and move up and down inclines. Car drivers should be aware of this, and must leave about 25’ between a truck and their car, in order to avoid making any sudden moves.

Respectable Driving Skills

Broward, FL truck accident lawyers are aware that practicing terrific driving skills are crucial while driving along the highway in a large commercial truck and for those who are near a machine of this magnitude. Complying with the permitted speed limit, employing turn signals, and avoiding road rage are crucial while driving near 18 wheelers. It is also important for drivers to refrain from abrupt lane changes, or other sudden movements, and be aware that trucks can’t react as easily as cars because of their size, inertia, and momentum.

Big rigs play a vital role in the country’s economy, as they are engaged in delivering products to people, from coast-to-coast around the clock. Since 18-wheelers are here to stay and are needed, the mutual respect for big rigs and normal cars must continue to coexist. South Florida truck accident lawyers emphasize that every driver is responsible for driving safely and defensively which can go a long way in preventing accidents.

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