The roads of Connecticut are often considered some of the busiest in the country as roads like I95 and I91 are pass-throughs for 18-wheeler trucks. With the busy roadways there is a grave risk of a Connecticut truck accident at all hours of the day and night. It is imperative that truck drivers are following the law as it relates to the time behind the wheel and down time needed in between their commutes.
While there are stiff penalties for drivers of commercial trucks if they are not following the law, as a driver who is sharing the road with these vehicles you cannot rely solely on the truck drivers and truck companies to be following all the laws closely. It is incumbent upon you, as someone who is on the road at the same time as these vehicles, to take certain steps to put yourself in a position to not be in a collision with one of these large vehicles.
All of the rules of the road that you normally follow when driving among passenger vehicles should always be followed, but there are some things that you might be able to do safely when sharing the road with passenger vehicles that you won’t be able to do safely when sharing the road with commercial trucks. Knowing these differences as you’re driving up and down the interstates may go a long way in protecting you and your passengers from getting injured in an accident. If you avoid doing the three following things you will keep yourself in a safer position while sharing the road.
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Never rear-end a commercial truck. While rear-ending anyone in any vehicle can be dangerous and is ill-advised, taking this action while you’re behind a commercial truck can be deadly. These vehicles do not stop quickly, but when they do start to come to a stop, if you are rear-ending them, you may find yourself sliding underneath the bed of the truck which can be extremely dangerous and even deadly. You should travel a safe distance behind these vehicles, and according to the American Trucking Association that safe distance is 20-25 car lengths behind the truck.
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Do not change lanes without using your turn signals. The reaction time for a truck driver is slower than that of someone driving a passenger vehicle. It is for this reason that you should never change lanes without using your turn signals and in fact, the American Trucking Association recommends that you put your signal on a full three seconds before you intend to change lanes near a commercial truck.
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Do not pass a commercial truck unless you can see the vehicle's mirrors and you are able to pass the truck quickly. Using the rule of thumb of not passing unless you can see the vehicle’s mirrors is the only safe way to pass a commercial truck safely. If you cannot see the vehicle’s mirrors then it is not safe to pass because the driver of the truck may not be able to see you. Also, you will want to make sure that you are able to pass the truck quickly because the longer you remain on the side of the vehicle the more likely you are to not be seen by the driver of the truck and an accident may ensue.
In an attempt to avoid a Connecticut truck accident you should avoid these behaviors in most situations. It does not have to be dangerous to share the road with these vehicles but it is important that we all respect the differences between driving a passenger vehicle and a commercial truck. The differences between the two are stark and can be the difference between life and death.
The roads in Connecticut are getting busier by the day with commercial vehicles making up a large percentage of the traffic. If you find yourself in a situation where you have been injured by a commercial vehicle you may need an attorney who is experienced with these types of accidents because they can become complicated very quickly. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will speak with you about your particular situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.
