3 Tips for Sharing the Road With Tractor-Trailers
As a colossal commercial truck speeds by you on the freeway, your driving senses sharpen. Sharing the road with a tractor-trailer can feel threatening, especially on a busy high-speed freeway. When pitting a passenger car or consumer sports utility vehicle against a tractor-trailer, all bets are on the tractor-trailer for sustaining the least amount of impact. The average person’s chance of surviving a crash with a tractor-trailer or semi-truck in Tucson without sustaining injuries is grim, particularly on interstates. Due to their enormous size, even a low-speed crash with a tractor-trailer can damage a person’s car or body.
Tractor-trailers are several times larger and heavier than the average vehicle. Additionally, an exhausted driver and poor road and weather conditions can increase the likelihood of a tractor-trailer accident in Tucson. There are simple defensive driving techniques you can use to lower the odds of becoming a victim.
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Count to Four
When driving on Arizona freeways, it’s important to keep your distance no matter what road conditions are like. When you are following a tractor-trailer, this distance becomes greater and more vital. Keep a four-second following distance at all times whenever you fall behind a tractor-trailer or semi-truck in traffic. These trucks can easily weigh 80,000 pounds and take much longer to stop. They are also difficult to maneuver, as their length, shape, and size prevent them from making quick movements to avoid obstructions that may be present on the road. You will need time and space to react should the truck stray from a safe driving pattern.
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Assume the Truck Driver Doesn’t See You
If you cannot see the truck driver in one of his rearview mirrors, the driver cannot see you. Even if you can, you should assume the driver is unaware of your presence. Semi-trucks have several large blind spots called “no-zones.” Typically, these are on the side of the truck or behind it. If you are in these areas, the driver cannot see your car. Also, it’s more difficult for a truck driver to hear the horn of a regular car. Be sure to pay close attention to the driver’s movements to avoid needing to alert the driver
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Increase your Alertness
Safe driving behavior is more important than ever when driving near a truck on a freeway. Chances are, that truck is moving at a rapid speed, at least matching the speed limit or the average pace of traffic. Big rigs are more susceptible to hazardous road conditions that can lead to accidents like detours, construction zones, roads that need repair, sharp curves, bridges, and more. Increasing your alertness behind the wheel can mean the difference between avoiding a serious collision or becoming the victim of a traumatic event.
Attorneys at Karnas Law Firm understand that it’s not always possible to escape a semi-truck accident in Tucson. If you have sustained injuries or property damage as the result of such an accident, you may benefit from working with our attorneys, who have years of experience handling insurance claims on behalf of injured parties. Our compassionate attorneys will inform you of your legal options and conduct their own investigation of the accident to improve your chances of receiving the funds you need to recover. Call (520) 571-9700 or contact us online for a free consultation. You won’t pay us until we obtain a successful outcome for your case.