Our state is home to some of the busiest throughways for big rig trucks in the country. Given our relative proximity to Boston, Providence and New York City, routes that travel through the Constitution State leave our drivers vulnerable to being involved in a Connecticut truck accident.
Truck accidents are often more severe and deadlier than those that are between the drivers of two axle vehicles. The trucks that we share the road with are significantly heavier than a car and they also are often loaded with cargo that they are moving from one place to another which can weigh the vehicle down and cause an accident to become even more severe.
The United States federal government has strict guidelines that truck drivers and trucking companies must follow to be allowed to utilize these giant vehicles on our roads. These guidelines are aimed at helping to keep us safe and our roads as free of human error and mechanical failure as possible. While these guidelines are not foolproof, they do make a significant difference in the safety of all of us.
That being said, there are some things we can do as drivers who are sharing the road with these vehicles to help keep us all safe. While it can be difficult, and sometimes scary, to share the road with these vehicles, if you take a few safety precautions you will be able to be much more confident when you approach one of these big trucks.
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Keep a safe distance from these trucks. Trucks have a wide turning radius and they take MUCH longer to come to a complete stop than your average car does. Tailgating these vehicles is a recipe for disaster. Keeping a safe distance between you and the truck in front of you is one of the best ways you can avoid being in an accident with the truck. In most cases a safe distance is to allow yourself about 10-11 seconds between you and a commercial truck in front of you.
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Never pass a truck on the right hand side. Blind spots can be found all around a commercial truck, but there is virtually no visibility for a truck driver on the right side of her/his vehicle. Therefore, if you are passing on the right side and you cannot be seen, you are basically a sitting duck. If you must pass a truck you should do so on the left and always make sure that you are able to see the driver side mirror while you do so.
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Do not travel alongside trucks. Similarly to why you wouldn’t want to pass trucks on the right side, even if you are on the left side you should not travel next to a truck for any extended amount of time. Trucks have many blind spots and traveling alongside their vehicle increases the risk that you will be traveling in one of these many blind spots and if that is the case, you will not be seen when a truck is changing lanes.
While we’re sharing the road with vehicles big and small it is the responsibility of all of us to share the road safely and keep other vehicles in mind as we drive to our destination. Trucking companies and truck drivers are bound by safety guidelines set forth by the federal government that are designed to limit the incidents of a Connecticut truck accident, but these accidents do happen. If truck drivers are following their guidelines and you are driving safely while sharing the road with these vehicles, incidents will be fewer and farther between.
Injuries and property damage that is the result of a truck accident can often get quite complex and dealing with trucking companies can further complicate matters. It is for this reason that you may want to speak with an experienced attorney who has worked on situations like yours in the past. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will speak with you and work on protecting your long-term interests.
